Guardians of the Written
by GreenWallsOfArt
Summary: Part Three of "Masters of the Pages". READ THIS PART/STORY ONLY IF YOU HAVE READ "MASTERS IN THE PAGES" AND "PROVERBS OF THE SECTIONS".  The final battle for the world of books is at hand.  But Richard and Chloe will have to face the worst obstacles yet before they can fulfill their purpose, and return to their world.
1. The Raven Pays a Visit

_**Chapter 1**_

For a long time, Chloe sat at her window. Through the imaginary window she'd made in the chained window doors, she watched Count Dracula fly by as a bat. It was frequent enough that, in a grouchy moment of rage, she wanted to take her bow and arrows and shoot him down. But the idea of erasing Dracula from the literary world, and its consequences, made Chloe's brain feel constricted and tight, to the point of wanting to bang her head on the stone walls to finally get those thoughts out of her head for good.

But one thing was for sure; being trapped alone in the tower still had its advantages. If Chloe couldn't sleep, she would exercise her powers of imagination, and think of ways she could use it to escape this place. She tried several ideas, like imagining a door to a staircase leading outside, but the Count always caught her before she could do anything. This only heightened Chloe's anger at the seductive count, and for an instant, she came very close to grabbing her bow and arrows without thinking. It took a hard bite on her lip to not do such a thing.

And, just as annoyingly, Professor Moriarty, Dracula's partner-in-crime, would scale the tower wall, and question Chloe about her decision regarding which side of the war she would join. Her answer was always the forceful no. And the reactions from the villains were the same as well, but they could be just as stringent as Chloe's feelings towards them.

Since the fateful day that Chloe had been caught conversing benignly with the Count's old lackey, Renfield, some kind of harsh punishment was given to her if she defied the villains. Because of Chloe's compelling will to escape, she had accidentally given Renfield his sanity back, and he told her what his masters were planning. And when Dracula overheard him, he came to the tower and ended Renfield's life, afterwards punishing Chloe by chaining her windows closed, so she could no longer see the outside world. Ever since then, Chloe took the punishments as they came, time and time again. But they only added to her loneliness and exhaust at thinking so hard of finally escaping her prison.

The punishments varied in nature, but no matter how horrible they were supposed to be, Chloe always managed to find ways around them, using her power. The leaders didn't like this; a power like Chloe's could get her anything, even some unknown means of returning home. Because, without Chloe, their plans would never work, and defeat would be a given.

Those humans in the real world, oh, how the villains detested them. They had killed the Prince of Imagination- or Mr. Dewey, as Chloe knew him- and a crime like that called for immediate payment- the lives of all humans on earth. Chloe was a Proverb, and a lady of the Binding Order, but she herself was also still one of them. She would be destroyed, along with her other Proverb friend, Richard, and the rest of the Order!

That same day, Chloe lay on her ornately decorated bed, racking her brain yet again for some way to get out of the tower. But as far as she knew, she had been here for weeks, doing nothing but think, think, think. And how far had she gotten? Nowhere!

Chloe leaned over, and through her window view, saw the land within and beyond Count Dracula's castle. It was always grim and dark, even in the daytime; not even the brightness of white daytime clouds could make the castle or the surrounding land appear any friendlier. Clouds appeared as nothing against the charcoal black of the spires, and the cheerless decaying of the place made Chloe's heart sink deep into her toes. Her teeth gritted together, and she snarled angrily as Dracula passed her again; he made her feel such outrage for her imprisonment. Particularly when she ought to be helping Richard and the Pagemaster save the world from being swallowed up by him and the rest of his villain army!

Desperately, Chloe tried to see if she could imagine something else, but now, she was too wrought with despair to think. She had tried everything, but nothing got her what she wanted. One more questioning of her chosen side of battle, and she felt she wouldn't have the strength to look them in the eye anymore. It was true, she was tough, but she had been run clear of her energy. If only she could at least have Richard, or the Pagemaster, pause their business and come for her. And besides, it wasn't at all like she could shoot her bow and arrows mindlessly to help her. At present, she wasn't a warrior maiden, but a damsel in distress. Chloe hated that!

Then, her mind flicked back to Richard. If he was fighting the battle right now, or searching for her, wherever he was, she hoped he was thinking of her. She missed being able to know he was there wherever they both were to protect her and be her friend. He was, after all, her best friend; her _only _friend in fact. To Chloe, the day she bumped into him in the library had been one of the best days of her life, simply because she had made a best friend. And after that, she had someone that she liked very much...

And now…?

Chloe laughed at herself, at how princess-like she sounded, pining for someone to save her- the first time she had laughed in forever.

Except, that was actually what she wanted- she could feel it, from every fiber of herself, that just that was what she wanted; to have Richard find her, rescue her, and then to go save the world using their powers, and restore peace to the literary world.

Every time she closed her eyes, she could feel herself becoming a phantom, floating through a peaceful nothingness of light, where there was no Dracula, no troubles- just her and the knowledge that somewhere nearby, Richard would be there to help her, and then, to hold her there, and not let her go. She would be able to pour her heart out to him, release all the troubles and anger Dracula had brewed within her. Chloe longed so much for that to happen to her. But for now, she had to figure out some way for him to come find her. She would have to do something from her tower that could be seen or heard throughout this entire world, through all three of the sections. Easier said than done.

Suddenly, Chloe clutched her stomach. All the weeks of loneliness and anger were starting to take their toll. Now she almost felt sick. She had to do something now, so as not to make herself feel worse.

Swiftly, she shut her eyes and lay very still on the bed, like she was going right to sleep. But instead of nodding off, she tried to regain that vision of being a ghost, and flying so freely she was nothing but spirit. With her eyes shut, she began to feel lighter as her soul lifted with her thoughts. _You are a ghost, you are nothing but air- nothing but a spirit…spirit…spirit…_

Chloe's breath caught in her throat. Her limbs no longer felt heavy with tire, but light as helium balloons. She could suddenly feel the cold vapor of clouds beneath her feet, and the warm of the sun just barely poking out from behind the clouds. _Go on, now. Fly free, be free. Fly. _

Light as a breath of air, Chloe could feel her body moving forward, no more anchored by gravity. She squeezed her eyes together even more and attempted to dip and swerve through the space. _Yes, you are flying now. But now, go on. Be gone with you anger and sorrow. Go away sadness and loneliness. Fly away and never come back… _

And go away they did, for Chloe could see streaks of color zipping through the space in which she was flying. While she twisted and turned in the air, she flew through the coldness of sorrowful blue, the burning hot mad red of anger, and the empty grey of loneliness. She couldn't see the different colors, but they swirled and danced around Chloe's transparent figure, swerving in zigzags around and through the clouds in rainbows and auroras. They stood wavering in some places like an image on rippling water, and then began to disappear as Chloe's unhappy thoughts and feelings were washed away with the will of her powers. She felt like she was in heaven with the lightness of her soul, and the warm pink of happiness settling onto her like a fleece blanket in winter. Like a candle flame in a high wind, Chloe's troubles were temporarily gone, and she began to settle back into her solid body. Her mind was rested, and she was sinking into a sleepy state as she settled further into reality, but was instantly brought back when it all disappeared.

Now, how to make Richard come to her- that was another question. She was in the horror section, so that didn't quite prove a good place for him to look first, especially with Count Dracula, Moriarty, and even Carrie White lurking around. Not to mention the Count's three vampire brides, who had come out into the courtyard before to look for their supper.

As she looked on through her window view, Chloe's brain pulsed as she tried her hardest to think of something- anything that would enable her to reach Richard without leaving the tower, for someone would surely catch her if she did.

But then, out in the forest beyond her tower, her eyes caught sight of a moving shadow among the trees, dancing like bats in a cave with a fiery presence among it.

_Who could that be? _Chloe wondered. And as the shadow kept on moving within the dark trees, Chloe noticed something she hadn't before- a large orange ball with a yellow face of two eyes and a mouth glowing fiery bright.

It came to her at last. The Headless Horseman, from _The Legend of Sleepy Hollow_! He was waiting there for someone to come through his forest.

_And very soon, he might, _Chloe thought, as an idea flashed brilliantly in her mind. _Of course! Why didn't I think of this before?_

She glanced through her window view, and watched as a big, black raven swooped down over the grounds, shrieking "Nevermore!" repeatedly. Perhaps _she_ couldn't get out of the tower, but that raven certainly could fly anywhere _it_ wanted.

Carefully and quietly, Chloe put her hand to the chained window doors, and, through her imagination, sent a high, squeaky sound through the wood to get the raven's attention. She was satisfied to hear the raven's squawking come closer to her, and it settled on a hook sticking out from the tower under the windowsill.

Chloe planned her approach to this carefully. She'd learned in her psychology class that when trained through rewards and punishments, animals could be easily manipulated. If she was going to earn this raven's trust, she would need to give him something in return for his cooperation in carrying out her new idea.

Slowly, Chloe crouched down, and using her mind, made one of the stones in the wall evaporate. She was gingerly enough to make it on the opposite side of the tower, where she was least likely to be seen. When she had done so, and repeated the squawking sound, she picked up a dead mouse she had found earlier near the fireplace, and held it ready for the raven.

The raven flapped near the opening, but reacted quickly when it saw Chloe, flitting about and squawking quite loudly. Chloe cringed; she didn't think about what the big bird's reaction would be to such a surprise. Thinking quickly, she held out the dead mouse, and while the raven didn't quite stop its mad flapping, it did put its eyes on the prize.

"Hello there," Chloe spoke to the raven.

The raven just stood in midair, looking at the mouse in her hand with eagerness. It emitted one little caw, but Chloe gave that a lopsided frown. So she decided to try something new. Maybe through her imagination, she could translate her words into what the raven could understand.

Swallowing her doubt, Chloe explained the proposition she had for the raven, all the while commanding her mind to translate the words into bird tongue. It was hard to do when she was so tense about this new ability, but, from the look on its face, Chloe could tell she had success.

After she finished, the raven was stagnant as it landed inside on the tower floor. But when it spotted the prize in Chloe's hand once more, it leapt about, making excited sounds, which Chloe automatically comprehended as caws of agreement.

She had it!

Hastily, Chloe wrote a letter to the Binding Order. She planned to finally put all stakes on the line, and invite the Binding Order, whatever they were up to, to the tower for a secret shindig. The raven would swiftly fly the letter to them- with some help from Chloe of course- and, with the Pagemaster's assistance, they would arrive at the tower, unseen by the villains. Upon arrival, they'd have a little fun party first, for Chloe to relax and explain to the Binding Order all that happened. And then, when everything was said and done, and Chloe and the Binding Order had taken Dracula and Moriarty prisoner, then they would journey back to the rotunda. And from there, they'd plan how to further cease the war. The sooner that happened, the sooner Chloe could be able to find Richard, and they both could return home.

Chloe began to shake. This new idea nearly brought her out of her skin with excitement, and she felt she could scream to the heavens with her confidence in the future. She wanted to laugh loud and long, but she told herself otherwise. Her celebration, and the rest of her plan, would need to wait after a good rest in bed.

And so, without knowing she did, Chloe rushed to her bed after sending the raven off with a strong wind on his tail, and threw the covers onto her restless body, to immediately go to sleep, and for once dream good dreams without many cares.


	2. Oberon and Titania

_**Chapter 2**_

Firedrake's silver wings blazed high over the forest below, and as they dipped through the clouds, Peaseblossom fluttered before the enormous dragon to guide him to a safe landing.

"Look yonder!" she cried enthusiastically. "'Tis the whole fairy court that greets you now!" She pointed to the crowd of people coming to the edge of the forest, every single person leaving blazing streaks of fairy dust behind them, as more and more rushed to see the giant creature closing in upon their home.

As Firedrake touched down on the ground outside the forest, his wings stirred up the dust and it blew away from him in huge, puffing clouds. But as Firedrake's identity was now known, some of the fairies began to retreat into the trees, making frightened sounds and calls that which none of the newcomers could comprehend.

Peaseblossom sped from her place beside Firedrake, and sent a few trails of pink sparkles flying into the woods. They zipped in between moist-looking trees, finally catching up with one another to create a wall of roses and thorns growing up from the ground, blocking the path of any fairy who tried to get away.

"Come hitherto," Peaseblossom repeated loudly, cupping her hands around her mouth. "'Tis I, Peaseblossom, of the kindly Queen Titania's band of humble servants, and I come in request of a conference with His Majesty, the King."

At this point, most of the fairies returned from out of the forest, bowing their heads respectfully at the fairy servant.

"Do not fear this dragon, friends. Firedrake possesses the kindest heart of all beasts," Peaseblossom explained gently. "He shalt not harm the soul of a measly fly if given the chance. He is merely here as a member of my troupe of travelers."

One fairy, completely dressed in grays and silvers, fluttered up from the crowd. She looked at Peaseblossom with large grey eyes, and twitched her web-like wings anxiously.

"Cobweb, kindly servant," Peaseblossom acknowledged her fellow servant friend, "if thou would please bring us to our King and Queen. 'Tis of highest urgency that we make decent use of Their Majesty's magic power."

"The dragon," Cobweb said, pointing a tentative finger at Firedrake. "King Oberon would not allow such a monstrosity within an inch of his kingdom." Then, she looked past Peaseblossom at the beings on Firedrake's back. Richard's head of blonde hair, windblown from their journey through the clouds, poked out from behind the dragon's scales, as well as the hopeful, excited expression of little Alice.

Cobweb's face was unreadable while she observed Peaseblossom's group of travelers. Her face remained that way while she flew up to them, mostly keeping her eyes on Alice.

Finally, she was able to avert her gaze to Richard, to whom she quickly curtsied. "Good lord," she said, "'tis a pleasure meeting thee again. But, who is thy friend?"

"I'm called Alice," Alice said, bowing her head respectfully to the fairy.

"Alice," Cobweb repeated, without emotion. But her expression didn't change beyond the unrecognizable, and she looked back to Richard. "Why must thee have a counsel with Their Majesties? They are in the worst possible of predicaments, and thy presence here is treacherous. Should His Majesty learn that a human has taken his place in this domain, the consequences are most unimaginable." She shook her head, as if in disappointment, locking her fingers together at her waist.

"You don't understand," Richard said loudly to get Cobweb's undivided attention. "My friend, Chloe, has been taken by the villains. We need Oberon's advice on how to get to her. We think that maybe she's trapped somewhere in this section, but without _his_ help, we might never find her before things get worse!"

Cobweb shook her head again, flying up so she was nose-to-nose with Richard. "As I spoke before, a human's presence, accompanied by a dragon of all beasts, is dangerous. Oberon shall speak to no one of the sort, in his sort of ungodly emotion."

"But he's a Proverb," Alice tried to explain. "The one who can make books come alive just by pointing into one of them. If the King won't speak with him, I don't know who."

Cobweb's once-calm gaze shot back to Richard's, her grey eyes sparkling with an immense wonder she had never shown before. She looked as though she would faint from that overwhelming feeling alone.

"A Proverb, thy friend states," Cobweb whispered. "It cannot be so. The other Proverbs have since been lost to the sands of time. Thy lady friend is the only one remaining in this world."

"No, it's the truth!" Richard said firmly. "Peaseblossom can tell you!"

"And, so I shall," the pink fairy said, as if on cue. "'Tis the godly power of the lord Richard, that we have come this far on our journey. Mayhap if not for his power, we might be back where we started, and young Alice would be dead at the hands of the monstrous Jabberwocky."

"Never mind, never mind," Cobweb said dismissively. "I trust thy word, Peaseblossom. Come quickly. Make haste, while Their Majesties are still willing to lend their ears. If thou dost not hurry, even a visit from a long-lost Proverb shalt not calm their wary nerves."

"Good luck, to all of you," Firedrake said, while Richard and Alice jumped down to the ground from his gently lowered wing. He lent them a sweet smile while they followed Cobweb and Peaseblossom further into the forest. The other fairies looked on curiously, and not having heard the conversation atop Firedrake, they gazed at Richard and Alice with both disgust and wonder, at having come into their domain with such surprise.

Through the woods they went, walking between so many kinds of exotic-looking trees that Richard could have filled a book with how many he saw. The land around him was enchanting. There were plants that looked like they came from a rainforest, with petals and leaves so huge and ornate they were truly otherworldly. They moved gently in a sweet-smelling breeze that came through the forest like perfume, smelling extremely natural and alluring.

At last, they came to the most beautiful place Richard could ever imagine a fairy living. The sun was spotlighting in a bare spot in the tree's canopy, where two stone pillars were connected by interweaving strands of sparkling gauze. The gauze formed a sort of translucent roof over two large, grand thrones, both of which were made of stone and twigs and leaves. Flowers adorned both thrones, throwing vibrant colors across the space in the light. Peaseblossom and Cobweb's fairy dust brought even more glimmer to the thrones, and they gestured towards the two majestic beings sitting upon the thrones.

"Your Royal Majesties," Peaseblossom said, while she and Cobweb curtsied on the floor before the two royals. "We have brought esteemed company into our domain, and it is our wish that thee hears their request."

Richard blinked twice, looking between himself, Alice, and the fairies in front of him. Normally, Peaseblossom was no taller than his forearm, but suddenly, she was a petite woman just a few inches smaller than him. And the king was as tall as his own dad. How…how did that ever happen?

The fairy king glanced at a confounded Richard, his eyes boring into the boy's, with the strong sunlight helping achieve such an effect. "Good lad," he addressed Richard. "Inform me of thy request."

Richard wanted to answer him, but he was still in awe of all that was happening. His answer was on his tongue, but something different came out.

"You're…life-size!"

King Oberon was still, before a little smirk spread on his tight lips. "Did thou not see? 'Tis the beauty of my land. Beings of all kinds come to our size when they enter the kingdom, should they ever try to overtake us by greater height."

"I didn't know that," Richard said, nodding his head. "That's really cool."

"I don't pretend to comprehend the word on thy tongue," Oberon said sternly, still smirking at Richard. "I merely pray that thou tell me, and my queen, what thy purpose is within our land. Humans are a breed not often welcomed here."

"'Tis only a boy," Titania said, in a kind, soothing voice. "Mayhap he brings us news of the battling."

"There are much better matters at hand than that of the war," Oberon said harshly once again. "I've never wanted any part of it, and should this boy ask anything of me, he is but a breadth away from harsh imprisonment."

Peaseblossom rushed back to Richard, gently putting her hands on his shoulders, like a loving mother protecting her son. "My king, this boy standing beside me is naught but the Proverb of the Books, sent here by the Pagemaster to lead his army to a sure victory. He has arrived merely to seek thy advice on the location of his beloved lady."

Richard abruptly gave Peaseblossom a look. Had he not specifically told her that Chloe was _not _his "beloved"? Of all the words to describe their relationship, that was far from the truth.

"A Proverb?" Oberon looked to his side, at Titania. "My queen, the lad believes that he is a Proverb." He sneered back at Richard, and a slightly-dismayed Peaseblossom.

"Don't doubt me yet," Richard said, returning Oberon's mocking expression. He pointed his finger to the ground between himself and the fairy thrones, stating the first thing that popped into his mind. "_Jack and the Beanstalk, the beanstalk!_"

The moment that Richard spoke the words, the dusty ground opened up to reveal a little green stalk, shooting up to the sky faster than even he had expected. Oberon watched with his mouth agape, as did Titania, who put her hand to her mouth.

Richard grinned at the fairy king and queen. "Satisfied now?" he asked, folding his arms in anticipation of Oberon's answer.

He jumped back suddenly when Oberon reached out and touched the thick beanstalk, which instantly tumbled to the ground, and disintegrated into a rotted leaf within seconds.

"A story within a book holds power enough," the king said, boring his eyes into Richard's. "But that was proof enough of thy identity, though it does not hold a flame to that which I expected."

"I pray to thee, Majesty," Peaseblossom pled, standing down. "Now that thou hast seen what thou wished, shall thee grant us our favor."

"On a single condition," Oberon stated, standing up with his hard eyes still looking down. "That the boy shall return to this kingdom, and train as a ruthless henchman to me."

Titania stood up, her eyes flashing hotly with anger; and for a split second, the sky seemed to speckle with the grey of coming storms. "Thou shalt do no such thing. A Proverb is a Proverb, and thus, the boy shall return to his homeland, and thee will grant him what his heart desires. I ask this as thy queen, and as thy love!"

"Not once in a thousand moons," Oberon said gruffly, sitting back down. As he spoke, clouds gathered overhead, and rain began to fall down.

Titania, in a most defiant manner, stood from her throne, and stepped down to Richard.

"Pay no mind to my king," she said gently, leading him away from the throne space. "His temper is short enough to match that of a candle wick. I, on the other end, shall help thee to the best of my ability."

Peaseblossom followed Titania and Richard away from Oberon, while Cobweb stayed behind. "Thanks goes most graciously to thee, Titania," she said, grinning widely.

"Any comrade of the Pagemaster is a comrade of mine," Titania stated surely. "Particularly if said friend is a Proverb who seeks another."

Titania finally stopped, where she and Richard and Peaseblossom were in the middle of the trees, out of sight of the thrones.

"Shouldn't you have a cauldron or a spell book?" Richard wanted to know, although he somehow felt a fairy queen wouldn't need a spell book to do magic.

"For what I shall perform, I already know by heart," Titania said, taking Richard's hands in hers. She opened up Richard's hands so that they were cupped upward, as if to receive something. Then she pinched two fingers together, and sprinkled a kind of magic dust into his palm, which tickled his skin sweetly.

"Remember her appearance," Titania commanded softly.

Richard bit his lip, and forced everything he could remember about Chloe into Titania's magic spell. Her red hair, her large green eyes, and porcelain skin were what immediately popped into his mind. Then came the fierceness when she was practicing archery with Robin Hood, and the dreaminess in her eyes when she read…

For moments, Richard found himself rambling in his mind about Chloe, and the more he did, the brighter the fairy queen's spell glowed.

"Stop!" Titania said, "that's good enough!"

Richard shook his head to stop the train of thought, and turned his gaze to the vision inside his cupped palms.

He saw a head of strawberry hair, flowing on top of a beautiful dress, though tattered from wear. The surroundings were homey enough, but the walls were made of bare, cold stones. The head turned around, resting on a pillow under a thick tulle canopy. For a moment, Richard could have mistaken her for Sleeping Beauty, as she was asleep on an ornate bed made for a royal. But Richard would know that face anywhere.

"That's Chloe!" he exclaimed.

Titania nodded. "As thou pictures her to be, and I show thee where the lady sleeps," she explained, pulling her hand above the vision. While she did, the picture panned out, through a window, revealing a large stone tower standing inside a great decaying castle. In the background, grey clouds spanned the sky, scratching across a great white moon. Dead leaves flew here and there, and to Richard, the image suddenly turned horrifying.

"That's not the fantasy section," he murmured under his breath.

"Mayhap it's the horror section," Titania finished.

The horrible fact dawned on Richard, and he stepped back from Titania, the vision disappearing from his hands as he did so. He couldn't believe it. All this time, he had been on the wrong track, losing considerable amounts of time just blindly trying to find her!

But…why the horror section? There would have been a much greater advantage to the villains had they been here, where magic and wickedness was as abundant as fairy tales. But then, evil ran amuck in horror, and as far as Richard remembered, villains could also easily be powerful in that section, maybe even more so.

In any case, he now knew where Chloe was.

And they would have to get there quickly, before any more time was lost, and before some masterful villain took her into his clutches.


	3. Beginning of Rebellion

_**Chapter 3**_

The hours passed quickly, and Chloe dreamt pleasant dreams, excited for her party. She knew this would be a good thing for her- a chance to unwind and have some fun, while, if her plans worked, temporarily safe from wicked eyes watching her. She made sure, in the meantime, to save enough energy to conjure something to distract Dracula and all his evil cohorts, long enough for her party to go on, and then for her and the Binding Order to escape invisibly.

Chloe had slept long through that night, and then all throughout the next day in naps, so that when she was wide awake, the sun was setting in the afternoon sky behind its usual veil of dark clouds. And with long hours of rest behind her, she was ready to prepare. Excitement was shaking her enough so that she could barely stand upright, but Chloe's determination to accomplish her task held her like a cement wall. With a clear mind, she stood before her room, and prepared to turn the dank prison into a party haven.

Concentrating with all heart and mind, she pictured table after table of cakes, caramel apples, sandwiches and sweet treats of all kinds. The center of the room became a dance floor of polished wood, jack-o-lanterns lighting every corner, and dimmed candles illuminating every table.

She had one more thing to do.

Chloe imagined her view through the closed window, and searched for Dracula circling the tower. And indeed, he came flying around the corner, softly squeaking in his bat form while he furiously flapped his wings. His red bat eyes showed no sign of suspicion, and Chloe grinned in satisfaction. This next step was going to be part of sweet revenge, a punishment for being such a pest to her.

Chloe then shut her eyes, imagining every single space of every room of the castle, to be filled with piles upon piles of salt crystals. They filled every closet, every chest, and every drawer and space he could walk on. With all that salt, he would be doomed to spend who knows how long counting them until they were all accounted for- every last grain!

Chloe relaxed the images of salt, and then pushed her vision towards Moriarty, stationed at his post inside the castle library, watching through a little circular window. Even from here, she could see the subtle nefariousness projecting from his expression onto the glass, and though it made her heart beat faster, she wouldn't let herself be afraid.

Chloe's eyes scanned the library, and at one end of it, she saw the great oak doors, closed, but probably not locked.

Keeping her wide grin, Chloe flexed her imagination, and with a humongous crashing sound inside the walls, heavy cement walls formed at the doors and the window. Of course, she couldn't hear anything beyond the thick walls, but Chloe could picture Moriarty yelling in defeat, and she chuckled at the thought.

Finally, Chloe turned her head, and her vision, to Carrie's window. Using the same technique, another tall, wide wall stacked itself to block the view out the window. Carrie's eyes were widening, but they didn't do so until before the last cinder block stacked itself, trapping her there.

Chloe loosened her hold on the imaginary view with mischievous satisfaction. It was done. It was finally done. Everyone was out of her way, and now she would just have to wait for the raven to return, and her guests to start arriving!

Until then, Chloe sat at the window, waiting and watching- until twilight, when the moon soon began to etch shadows onto the Headless Horseman's forest. The dins of the night began to sound, and Chloe's anxiousness built immensely, showing itself on her sparkling eyes.

Then, finally, when it got dark enough, Chloe stood away from the window, and in a daring move, aimed her imagination directly at the chains in the doors. She had been warned not to unchain the window doors, otherwise she actually would be disposed of in the worst way possible. But tonight, what could stop her, with the Binding Order soon to be close?

She jolted her mind, and within seconds, the chains holding the doors shut started to glow a bright red, then orange, and finally a flaming hot yellow. The metal began to bend, caving in on itself, and like melting ice, the links fell apart, clanging to the floor where her mind's power made them evaporate into thin air. Free at last, a dank wind blew the window doors open, and fresh air rolled into the room like air conditioning in the hottest of summers. Chloe rushed to the window, and a real, clear view met her eyes blissfully. Although she wasn't seeing much of anything new, it felt good to breathe the open air again.

But then, something caught her gaze inside the thick forest. A flash of light cut through the trees, and for a moment, she feared that maybe Dracula was appearing outside his castle. Immediately, Chloe hurried to prepare her mind to fix the window, in case he had actually fallen for her trick. Her heart smashing against her chest, Chloe kept her mind open, ready for the coming obstacle that may just destroy all hope of escape.

But, it wasn't a bloodthirsty vampire she saw begin to emerge from the forest.

The gentle orange glow of lanterns and candles glimmered in the dimness, flames dancing to and fro between the rotted branches. Chloe rose from her seat and bent her head out into the air, hoping for the passerby to be those she had been waiting to greet. And just as the lanterns became clear, and the strangers gathered outside the trees, Chloe's gasp of excitement was matched by the caw of the raven, soaring through the sky overhead.

Reaching her hand out the window, Chloe waved excitedly to the crowd, which began to scuttle closer to the tower with a mix of eagerness and urgency. The more the crowd dispersed, the more Chloe observed the size of the array. Not a single member of the Binding Order was missed here; they _all _had answered her call, and each member was dressed casually to have a fun time. Most, however, also brought their weapons.

"Lady Chloe!" a voice called up to the tower.

Chloe yanked her gaze downwards, where she caught the source of the voice. At the head of the voice, a young man in black and blue slacks stood, waving up at the window.

"Sir Hugo!" Chloe exclaimed, waving back. "You came too!"

Her call was followed a barking, and right beside Sir Hugo, a big fluffy dog with long golden fur looked upwards at the window.

"Jip!" Chloe called down. "Oh, it's so wonderful to see you too!"

"The same to you, m'lady!" Jip said, respectfully lowering his head, although he looked like he could jump up and down in his happiness at seeing his friend again.

Briefly, Chloe waved to the rest of the Order, before planting her hands firmly on the windowsill. Her energy instantly renewed, she shut her eyes and imagined a staircase leading up to the tower. As it appeared, Chloe leaned further out the window, and her long red hair, having grown much longer in the weeks spent in the tower, flowed down the wall like Rapunzel's, shimmering in the ivory moonlight that peaked just enough from the clouds to spotlight her.

At the top of the stairs, Chloe reached out her hand to help her guests climb inside, and while doing so, conjured up a band of musical instruments to begin playing a joyful song that inspired a happy mood among the partygoers. Chloe breathed hard to keep up with all the people she was pulling in, but was glad to see every one of them.

Finally, all of the Binding Order was up inside the tower room. While often a group of serious men, Chloe noticed that the Order was also keen on fun on occasion. For once inside, most of them went to the tables piled high with food, and helped themselves plentifully. Some dispersed into groups, talking among one another, while the rest stayed at the tables surrounding the perimeter of the room, munching on sweet cakes, chocolate-covered strawberries, and crackers and pound cake with fondue. But no merry sound could overthrow the harmonies of the fiddles and drums, playing magically by themselves in the corner. It made Chloe smile to see everything going so smoothly, and for several moments, she was caught in absorbing the sights of the Binding Order all here, to take pleasure in this revelry, and even the idea of them helping her escape later.

In a minute, Chloe was pulled out of her reverie when Sir Hugo approached her, bowing low and extending his hand to her. "Shall I be the first to have a dance with the hostess?" he asked in a sweet, sincere manner.

Chloe shrugged, and following Sir Hugo's path of etiquette, simply curtsied and took her position to begin their little dance. Sir Hugo then proceeded to lead her into the fray of partygoers, startling her somewhat with his ability. Sir Hugo prided himself upon his fighting skills, but he was never one to pass the opportunity to dance with a fellow lady, especially one lady as esteemed as Chloe.

And when she started to dance, Chloe's mind wandered to what she heard her classmates say about the fun of school dances, like Homecoming or Prom. She wondered if this was what they were like; having good friends, and then dancing time away, whether anyone cared about looking silly in front of everyone despite the fun they were having.

Friends…

Speaking of friends, where in the world was Richard?

Well, for all she knew, he was off fighting some dragon or defending the literary kingdom from one danger after another, not thinking of her at all. But all too instantly, she felt pretty sorrowful not being able to bring him here too, to complete the group. And unfortunately, that miserable thought caused her to misstep, crushing her Sir Hugo's foot. He winced for a fraction of a second, but couldn't manage to frown at Chloe, who gave him an apologetic smile.

Chloe took a deep breath, before the unexpected happened. Her mind switched gears, from dancing, to Richard, and now to a new daydream that began to feel, in the slightest, very real. She could feel fluffiness beneath her feet, and warmth on her back, like summer sun. The texture of Sir Hugo's hands turned smooth as velvet, and the tower room suddenly seemed so much brighter, as though it were at the height of afternoon. And from behind Sir Hugo, the room seemed to change from the silver glint of stone walls to the pure buttery yellow of sunglow. The sunlight glittered, sparkling brighter and brighter and spreading like spilled diamonds around Chloe, as she witnessed this vision become reality. The diamonds were falling all around her, hissing in a melodic sound as they danced in swirling patterns, like snowflakes on a winter breeze. And through them, Chloe let go of Sir Hugo's hands, breaking herself from the crowd as she let herself go altogether. The sparkles had made a little wall between her and the rest of the guests, and so she had begun to twirl and swirl like there was nothing but her and that space; the rest of the world gone.

Still, she didn't stop the dreaming.

Her old dress was becoming ragged and dirty from the weeks spent in the tower, so she fashioned herself a new one through her mind's eye- one with satins and silks and velvet-lined shoes. Chloe then found herself stepping into the clean new shoes, and some ribbons swirled their way up her red tendrils, fastening themselves at the crown of her head. With the tender rustling of her hair, Chloe felt even more relaxed, but her feet kept on dancing across the floor…

"Chloe?"

At the sound of the voice echoing through her ears, Chloe stopped her twirling, and the little sparkles she conjured stopped swirling and evaporated into thin air.

She turned to find the voice. Her breathing stopped the second she recognized the face, and although she wanted to scream for joy and shout out the window her excitement and rejoice, all she could do was stand there, letting the those sea blue eyes sink in and leave their mark on her heart. After weeks of not seeing them, she felt she would never be able to let them out of her sight. Never.


	4. Revelry

_**Chapter 4**_

Richard chuckled with a smile at Chloe, seeming to return the motion of never stopping to look somewhere other than in her grass-green eyes, and she giggled back as he made his way through the staring crowd to greet her.

"Oh, my god, I…can't…can't…" Everything inside of Chloe abruptly stopped, so great was her disbelief at seeing him here. "I just can't believe…that you're here at last!" Her breath was continuing to sputter excitedly out of her, and it took all of her strength to not throw her arms around him and not ever allow him freedom again.

Richard returned Chloe's surprised stare, but then slowly smiled like he was about to laugh, and shook his head in joyous disbelief. "I told my friends we'd find you, and, well…I just…oh my god, I just don't believe it!"

"I know!" Chloe agreed. "It's crazy and still so great! I missed you a lot."

"Yeah, me too," Richard said.

For a moment it was silent between them, like they didn't know what their next step was. Chloe was waiting to see if she would allow herself to hug Richard, but he was looking her over instead.

"That was…that was pretty magnificent," he said at last, gesturing at Chloe's new, elegant dress. "Did you get a fairy godmother while you were here?"

"No, but maybe I should fill in an application to be one myself," Chloe replied with a light chuckle.

Chuckling as well, Richard reached to grasp Chloe's hands, relief washing over him. "Thank god you're safe," he said. "I thought maybe you were gone for good."

"Well, I would never try to stay far away forever," Chloe said matter-of-factly, and she smiled deeply to show her joy, although there were gallons more beneath the surface, which was hard to hide.

"You okay, Chloe?" Richard asked, noticing Chloe's mouth twitching slightly at the corners in trying to hide her joy.

"Yes, I'm fine, but- but I cannot even begin to tell you how glad I am to see you again. I've been very lonely without you."

"Same here."

They were both silent again before Chloe's immense happiness gave way and she began to cry. Her happiness driving her on, she put her arms around Richard's neck, resting her chin on his shoulder. "If I should ever leave your sight again, I swear to god…"

"No, Chloe!" Richard said, pulling her away so they could see each other face-to-face. "We're going to be fine! They'll never touch you again! Not while the Pagemaster and I are around."

Chloe faced Richard with a fixed look. "Let me finish, Rich," she said. "If you die in battle, I will die too! I swear on the pages this world is written that I will."

Richard jumped back a step, still keeping his hands on Chloe firmly. "You won't! No, you won't!" he said sternly. "I'm not going to let you do anything stupid like that!"

They stared tensely at each other, the only sound being their breathing. Chloe finally took a breath and stared much harder at Richard.

"Look, if you ask me to do anything, I will do it," she said. "But that does not include me not standing in your way!"

"And you won't! Chloe, you're part of the Binding Order. I won't let you die!"

"And neither will I!" Chloe exhaled deeply, and bore her gaze into Richard. "All right, this is how we will do this. The two of us will fight in battle beside the Pagemaster and the Binding Order, no matter what. But you cannot tell me I can't do anything for the good of this world. If the both of us don't fight, then the literary world will disappear forever! Do you think we were given our powers for no real reason?"

Richard sighed, folding his lips between his teeth in defeat. "Okay, then. We both will fight as best we can. But please, please, please Chloe, don't do anything drastic!"

"And in return, you will promise me you will have a good time before we leave here tonight," Chloe said, putting a hand on Richard's shoulder, and eyeing him like an eagle to a salmon.

In reply, Richard didn't say anything, but scanned his eyes downward once more on Chloe's new dress. It was blazing silver, much like the sparkles that had conjured it, and cascaded down her legs in ruffling waterfalls of silver and white satin, with a low ovular neck that spanned her shoulders in long sleeves with pointed ends. White ribbons were tied together at the crown of her head to make a little tiara, where the long ends dangled fluidly from her head to the middle of her back, where her red hair ended. To say the truth, Richard found it hard to look away from this display of beauty and magic. True, he had seen enough magic to last many years, but this was the icing on the cake.

"Wow, you look, well, remarkable!" Richard said, chuckling awkwardly.

Chloe half-smiled and smoothed her skirts modestly.

But something else popped into his head in the meantime.

"You want to meet my friends?" he asked. "They're still outside the tower."

When Chloe nodded, Richard pointed out the window behind him to Firedrake, Alice, and Peaseblossom, standing just outside the forest. All three of them smiled back at Richard and Chloe, who waved back a little tentatively, but she soon grew a smile.

"Come on over!" Chloe called, gesturing inside the tower. "There's plenty of room for all of you."

Looking back at Alice and Peaseblossom, Firedrake inched closer to the tower, and with his nose, allowed for the other two to cross in through the window. Alice was the first to climb in through, with Peaseblossom fluttering in right behind her.

"Hello, there," Chloe said, looking down at Alice from Peaseblossom. "I'm Chloe, Richard's friend. What's your name?"

"I'm Alice," Alice replied, curtsying sweetly. "Wow. I daresay Richard was right about you. You really are beautiful."

Chloe looked at Richard with a semi-shocked grin, on the verge of laughter. "You said that?"

"Okay, I might have said something like that," he admitted.

"Yes," Alice added. "He also said that you can imagine things to life."

Chloe nodded. "I can, but I myself never imagined any of you would show up here. Well, I can say that I've been spared lots more time trying to find you. You even brought us a ride back to the rotunda!"

Richard glanced at Firedrake, who was keeping his head close to the window. "Well, if the whole Binding Order can ride on Firedrake's back," he said with a shrug.

"Firedrake? Is that your name?" Chloe asked the dragon.

Firedrake nodded. "And can I tell you how good it is to finally meet you?" he said. "The way Richard talked about you, I truly expected a wonderful young woman. And that, you certainly are."

"Thanks, to all of you," Chloe said, looking between her unexpected guests. "It's great to see you all here, and I'm more than happy to have you stay for the fun."

"You will?" Alice asked, half surprised and half excited.

"Why not?" Chloe said. "Let's go dance."

Richard swallowed hard. Dancing, for him? Well, that was debatable, but for Chloe, he supposed he could try.

Alice and Peaseblossom followed Chloe to the center of the dance floor, where, as Chloe began to move to the beat, Alice twirled around, and Peaseblossom just hovered in midair, moving to her own rhythm.

Following them, Richard concentrated on what the others were doing for the so-called dance. Lots were just moving their feet to the beat, while others were simply snapping their fingers rhythmically, with the _clip-clop _of shoes being just a whisper under the fiddling and drumming.

_Okay, I guess that's nothing. Just go with it_, he told himself_. _Over and over, Richard urged himself to take the first step, which was simply to get into the music and develop a sense of rhythm. But that was easier to think about, instead of doing. His natural rhythm was in baseball or studying, not dancing. Oddly enough, he'd never been to a homecoming or turnabout dance in his high school years; he refused to go.

But in stepping out, Alice took his hands, and twirled around with him. Richard let out a surprised cry as he was swept away by his little friend, but in being gently twirled around, he slowly grew comfortable with moving around to the music, even if it was slightly off with Alice's gleeful dancing. She giggled at Richard's reaction, and laughed along with him as he grew into this dance, just barely coming over the happy barking of Jip, who jumped around the whirling couple excitedly. Other Order members soon recognized the other Proverb, and, also recognizing his energetic partner, created a little circle around Richard and Alice. They began clapping, to the arrival of their comrade, and to the vivacious energy of the music.

Chloe laughed watching Richard dance with Alice, and she stepped inside the circle too, taking Peaseblossom with her. The little fairy flew around the circle, casting halos of fairy dust over the dancers, and the Binding Order cheered, celebrating their Proverbs, and their new friends. Jip barked along with them, soon charging into the circle, where Alice met him with a hug, and Jip met her with a lick on her face.

When the fairy dust settled, the Order joined their leaders, and soon, every person there was dancing to their lead, who were all laughing till their stomachs hurt.

They were having so much fun, that Chloe's mind had completely forgotten the next real purpose of this gathering, and the night was almost over.

When Chloe could finally notice how high the moon had gotten, she dashed to the window, and squinted down at Dracula's castle. The windows were still alight, but she didn't see anyone wandering around. Still her heart began to drum hard; who knew how much of the salt grains the Count had gotten through.

The moment this question struck her, Chloe threw herself towards the front of the room, and to get everyone's attention, zapped away the magical instruments. All became almost completely silent.

"Listen up everyone! Listen up! The night is almost over, and I think maybe we've partied long enough. We have to get out of here now!"

"Right now?" Richard seemed slightly confused by Chloe's immediate haste.

"Count Dracula! He might catch us if we don't get out while we have the chance to. Look, Richard, I'll explain this to you while we are getting out of here, but we must do it right this moment!"

"Who is Count Dracula?" Alice wondered out loud. "Quite a curious name."

"Just hope you never have to find out," Richard told her as he took her hand to lead her out with him and the others.

Under the helpful leadership of Sir Hugo, everyone followed him and Chloe to the window, as she shut her eyes to make the party disappear, and the ladder reappear. It came as ghastly white, but was solidly tangible enough for someone to climb. Chloe reached over by her bed, and grabbed her blue-and-silver cloak, fastening it around her neck. In her hands she grasped her bow and arrows and slung them around her back, before picking up her skirts to climb out the window. Slowly, she took the first rung and began to climb down, her friends close behind her.


	5. Looming War Comes

_**Chapter 5**_

In the cold night air, Chloe shivered through her cloak. Her fear was creeping up on her, making it difficult to hang onto the ladder. To keep her fear at bay, she kept her eyes on the ladder and her mind open in case of a power emergency. Richard kept his sword at his side, clutched in its sheath, with his other hand kept up to hold Alice steady on her feet.

At last they reached the bottom of the ladder, and with the Binding Order leading them, they prepared to make their way through the never-ending woods. Some members were quick to judge when they saw Firedrake, but after a brief explanation, the great creature was respectfully greeted, and everyone proceeded to climb aboard his back, going in two single file rows extending to the start of Firedrake's long tail.

They were just about to take off, when a voice, menacing and ominous as thunder, sounded.

Chloe held fast to Richard, who jumped also; the rest of the Binding Order unsheathed their weapons when they heard it. Not too far from the group atop the dragon, stood a large, muscular man dressed in a black swirling cloak, perched atop a wild-looking black horse, whose eyes locked on them with a superior mischief. Chloe choked when she noticed that clutched to the man's side, was a wide sheath containing a huge sword, and even a round pumpkin, with a wicked face carved into the tender skin. And then atop his shoulders, was something that made everyone in the bunch's blood run cold.

There was nothing atop his shoulder; a headless horseman.

_The _Headless Horseman.

"Where? Where to?" the ghostly man asked, his voice coming from nowhere.

For a moment, no one said anything, not even Firedrake, who only seemed to try to keep from belching up impromptu flames. Alice hid behind Richard, clutching his cape, suppressing a scream of surprise at seeing the monstrous man.

"Too late!" the Headless Horseman cackled maniacally, swinging his pumpkin head above his bare shoulders, and unsheathing his demonic weapon, charging towards them with his huge sword brandished like a weapon of ultimate destruction.

Sir Hugo leapt from his place and met the Horseman with a blow with his own sword. Both weapons clashed loudly, and that seemed a signal for the other Order members to attack. They jumped off of Firedrake, giving cries of battle while they heaved their own swords above their heads.

Richard and Chloe followed the Order, preparing their own weapons swiftly. Alice stayed on top of Firedrake, who, reared up his head, and roared, long and loud at the enemy closing in on their little army.

Even with the Binding Order advancing upon him, the Headless Horseman's horse stayed steady and strong, emitting a whinny loud as a steam whistle, and the man called out towards the castle, as if sounding an alarm.

Within seconds, every corner of the grounds was surrounded by the pounding of thousands of tiny pairs of feet. The red wizards that had kidnapped Chloe charged into the fight, brandishing weapons so formidable, the Horseman's weapon resembled a measly toothpick, and coming rapidly a cheetah, yelling as loud as Firedrake's roar.

"Let's go!" Chloe cried, raising her bow to attack, and Richard swung his sword alongside her.

The two Proverbs ran like the winds at the Headless Horseman's alarming call, with the drive to put the entire expanse of red wizards in the dirt! And with the same speed, their enemies charged at them, merging together like two deathly waves of danger.

Chloe released her bow, and her arrow zipped through the air, into one red wizard's chest. He fell, but was only one of thousands it seemed. And they only came faster as she readied another arrow, releasing it into the battle.

Richard's blade clanged violently against one wizard's sword, that which was large and spiked to a thorny point. But he wasn't too afraid of said blade. Just from looking at them, he immediately recognized them as the wicked beings that had kidnapped Chloe. The angry flare of energy that seared through him only forced his sword faster through the fighting, but the enemy would not retreat in sight of that. They only fought stronger.

Richard swung his sword through the air, but before the tip of his blade could tear through the red wizard's heart, an arrow zipped through the air and got him in the back, bringing him to the ground. From nearby, Chloe grinned triumphantly.

"Nice shot!" Richard called back through his battling.

"Thanks!" Chloe shouted, shooting another fast arrow.

Richard breathed quickly as he swung his sword to and fro in front of him. He couldn't believe how long it had been since the last time he'd actually sword-fought. His arm was getting tired as he dodged each blow he was given, and the red wizards seemed to be using a lot more magic every time they advanced on the Order. Maybe now it was time to fight fire with fire.

His brain reeling speedily, Richard sucked in a breath to speak, "_Arthurian legends, the power of Excalibur!" _and lickety-split, his sword caught a warm glow, beginning to illuminate itself with a powerful lightning, sparking and pulsing with electricity. The power increase was incredible, and Richard could feel the blow it took to the red wizard as he struck down with all his might. And when he pulled his sword from the fallen wizard, he instantly felt his energy rise, the adrenaline rushing like hot fire through him.

"The boy is a Proverb!" he heard some red wizards shout. "Attack him now!"

But Richard was ready. He lifted his sword high, and swung it in a three-sixty to attack a full range of red wizards that advanced on him. And at that point, any survivors of the attack were taken down by Chloe's imagination-enhanced arrows.

For the moment, it seemed like they were winning this battle. But just when both Richard and Chloe were taking down another group of wizards, the Headless Horseman, clearly struggling against Sir Hugo and Jip's brilliant teamwork, was calling out another alarm.

But what else could they have besides these guys? Richard wanted to know. The remaining red wizards were now outnumbered by the Binding Order, and the only other weapon they could call out was another bunch of unskilled villains without weapons.

For several seconds, nothing happened except for the continuous clash of the red wizards against the Order, the wizards' great powers flashing up into the sky in a rage of evil magic. But then, from overhead, there came a thunderous rumble, and large black clouds began to appear in the dim sky against the bright moon, becoming larger and larger with every millisecond. Everyone on the field could see them coming, but now, fighting the red wizards seemed more important than two-ton boulders hurtling towards them.

With the thundering of the boulders ringing through his mind, Richard found himself struggling to think of something to stop them, and also to increase his fighting power against the enemy. But with his heart pounding against the agonizing power of the falling boulders, it was nearly impossible to do so.

"Chloe!" was all he could shout out, while his blade clanged as loudly as he was calling out.

Before even Chloe could react, an even greater roar shook the air, and the blasting heat of fire radiated off of Richard's already blazing sword. At feeling the heat, he ducked down, just in time to dodge one red wizard's deadly swing. And when he did, Richard flung out his leg and tripped the wizard, momentarily pivoting his sword out to end the wizard's life. The heat however, was hastily increasing, and Richard could already feel his hair plastering itself to his forehead.

Bravely, he looked upward, and saw a powerful wave of fire flashing across the sky, hot enough to melt the rocks before they could reach the ground. To one side of the fire wave, Firedrake's eyes were shut tight, blowing out the flames with every ounce of strength he had, his claws meanwhile swiping out in every direction, to fend off the wizards that tried to attack him; Peaseblossom was putting her fairy magic into helping Firedrake, her touch turning some of his scales a bright pink with good magic. The wizards' plan was being foiled, and they were trying their very best to defeat the great dragon, but to no success.

On Firedrake's back, Alice was clinging for dear life to the dragon's long neck, her face digging in so as not to watch the violence happening around her. At this point, her once crisp, clean clothes were now tattered and dirty from the explosions and flying debris zipping like bullets around her. As she looked up quickly, her face was damp, her eyes red. Richard flung his gaze to her, and saw her crying into Firedrake's neck, and all the while, a red wizard was starting to climb up on Firedrake's back, sword drawn.

Richard blinked his eyes twice, and gasped from the bottom of his airless lungs. Alice was in danger!

Swinging his blade once at his attacker, he flicked his hand downward, shouting, "_Arabian Nights, a flying carpet!"_, and just as he commanded it so, a plain flying carpet scooped him up from the ground, and he soared over the sea of battles and falling soldiers. His sword drawn in one hand, Richard extended his other out to the air, as he swooped down over Firedrake's back, coming in close proximity to the red wizard, who was preparing to bring his deathly blade down on the unknowing Alice.

Coming closer at the last second, Richard screamed out to Alice, and he plucked her from Firedrake's back just as the wizard struck down, leaving a tiny cut in the dragon's back. But as Richard flew, he jolted his body to the side, and the carpet swerved in that direction, almost bucking him off in the process. Still he held fast, grasping a surprised Alice in his hands.

"Thank you, Richard!" Alice said, clinging to him like flypaper.

"Hold on, Alice!" Richard yelled. "This could get nasty! Look away!"

Holding out his sword further, Richard dipped down with the carpet to maneuver the sharp blade along every red wizard he could touch. Several were killed in the flight, while others were only just harmed, but Richard was doing wonderfully alongside the rest of the Binding Order and Chloe's magnificent arrows.

But suddenly, something snagged onto the carpet, and both Richard and Alice fell forward from it, tumbling in rolling balls through the grass. It was a long moment before they came to rest a few feet near the forest.

Before Richard could register what happened, he found himself sitting right beside Sir Hugo, who quickly pulled him to his feet.

"Richard!" he said, "go now! Bring Chloe and Alice with you! It's too dangerous here for you to keep fighting, and you must get back to the Pagemaster! Tell him what you have seen and also to quickly prepare for battle! These villains won't give up without a real war!"

Richard nodded his head, straining his brain to remember such urgent news after such a fall, but Sir Hugo dragged him to his feet.

"Quickly!" he shouted. "Fetch Chloe, and get out of here safely! Take care of each other, and Godspeed to you!" With that, he charged back into the fight, swinging his sword fast.

Richard shook his head to clear his senses, and Alice stepped up beside him, nervous.

Breathing slowly and evenly, Richard absorbed Sir Hugo's orders, and, with a brave command to his voice, re-summoned the flying carpet. "Stay here, Alice, and don't move!" was all he said before taking off again.

And into the sky he flew, swerving back down at last to pluck Chloe from her spot. Flying back to the forest, they retrieved Alice, soaring deep into the forest where they couldn't be seen.

Chloe breathed heavily, leaning on Richard for support. "Tough battle," she muttered between breaths.

"We can't stay here," Richard told her. "I'll tell you why later." He reached and took Alice's hand, turned, and then started to lead his two friends deeper into the forest, leaving the castle and the tower behind them completely.

But luck had taken a turn for the worse. The forest was full of tumbling branches and rotting roots sticking from the ground, tearing the trio's scratched flesh and ruined clothes, slowing them down even more.

Many times, they forced glances behind them, hoping to see the castle far behind them. But one final time, when they looked back, a dark figure began to loom over the clearing's opening, while the thunderous sound of clip-clopping came around to their ears.

"Quick, behind that tree!" Richard said, pulling Chloe and Alice behind a thick, rotting trunk. He held them close, squeezing uncomfortably to fit the width of the tree. The sounds of clomping hooves and scratching footsteps echoed through the forest, but they were no louder than the hammering of Richard's heart.

A twig snapped from underneath them, and the trio gasped loudly.

The clip-clopping and footsteps stopped altogether.

"They're there!" a low, female voice murmured.

"Seize them," another voice said, calm and centered, yet sinister all around.

Richard's heart nearly leapt out of his skin, and suddenly, he tried to summon a kind of book that might help them. Luckily, Chloe beat him to it. She leapt from their hiding place and closed her eyes, her imagination jolting to life. The earth then began to crumble and crack apart in separate pieces like brittle glass, and under Chloe's powerful influence, their attackers began to stumble into the crackling dirt, but they were able to leap across just in time to see the whole of the ground fall apart into nothingness.

And just as suddenly as Chloe had imagined the crumbling earth, she and her friends were pushed backward into their tree, by a strong, invisible force. The blow on them was incredible, and for a moment, they all thought they would fall down into unconsciousness. But they were only able to look up to see their attackers advancing on them, if only a little.

One of the attackers, dressed all in black, with a face as contorted and angry as a thunderstorm, took a step forward.

"What are you doing out here, my lady?" Count Dracula said his voice loud in their ears. "You should be in your tower, and not out in these woods with these intruders!" His voice was ridden with disgust, his black eyes full of hidden fury.

"Is it truly necessary to answer that?" Chloe said, her chest banging with fear.

Count Dracula half-smiled. "No," he said in a low voice. "One thing I ask. Do not move from where you are, unless your life holds any value to you."

Behind him, Carrie half-smiled from under her blood-stained mask of a face, looking at Chloe with a slyness no one ever saw in her before.

Richard tightened his grip on Chloe, pulling her closer to him, alongside a trembling Alice. He knew Dracula's powers, but they couldn't be any more powerful than Chloe's. "Do something again!" he whispered to Chloe. "Use your power now!"

Chloe didn't reply. Dracula's eyes were locked onto hers, never looking away. He raised a hand in her direction, as though beckoning genuinely to her, but far from it. He pursed his colorless lips and extended his fingers. "Come. Come to me," he intoned wickedly, with a lie on his dead soul.

Chloe's body went stone cold, and she began to inch away from Richard's grasp. Richard held tight to her, his body icing over with fright as he realized what was happening. But no matter how hard he restrained her, she was already out of his hands. She mechanically began to walk away, completely under Dracula's control; Carrie, looking wide-eyed at Chloe, kept very still, her body tense with a mysterious force coursing through her. And when Carrie tensed, Chloe seemed to move into Dracula's hands even faster, moving not like she was walking, but like she were being carried on a quick gust of air towards her wicked captors.

Instantly, Richard knew it was up to him to do something. Chloe would never listen to him under Dracula's command. But there had to be a book, any book with a burst of light, which if he had read correctly, would bring around the disappearance of any vampire. Without any ideas, Richard clasped his hands to his scalp. This was not the right time to be thinking without result.

Within that instant, it came to Richard, knowing just what he had to do.

He extended his hand, his mind and lips simultaneously shouting out the words, "_Swan Lake ballet, the light of dawn!"_

Instantly, the sun's powerful light was unleashed with a shocking haste onto the oblivious Count Dracula. And no sooner had the light come, did he begin to writhe and groan at the pain brought upon his tender eyes. His control over Chloe was immediately broken, and she fell to the ground in surprise, her arrows clicking against her bow. Quickly, she regained her footing and ran with Richard and Alice deeper into the woods, away from the dastardly Count. In her head, Chloe kept the light from inside Richard's book illuminating the forest, blinding their captors enough that they could leave them out of sight for many more minutes.


	6. The Land of Adventure

_**Chapter 6**_

At last, the three had gotten away, stopping for a few moments in the trees. They could only slightly see the light from the book, still streaming through the trees in individual rays. Chloe concentrated to keep the light going despite her lingering fear that their captors would still try to find them.

Richard took Chloe and leaned against the tree, holding her close beside him. Chloe breathed hard with her fear and tire, staying very still against Richard while she nervously looked down at Alice, who returned her expression of uncertainty.

"Are they gone?" Alice asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah," Richard replied, unwrapping his cape from around his shoulders lightly. Easing away from the tree, he led his friends further into the woods, hoping against hope nothing more would happen to them. They walked steadily, holding hands tentatively, while also flicking their eyes about to watch the trees keeping stiff as a dark landscape painting in the dank air.

The forest remained a bumpy ride of moss and rocks, causing big missteps often. But while all this was a still and tranquil appearance, Chloe couldn't shake the feeling something was coming. Woods like these always held some kind of ill fate for those who went through it. There was usually something hiding behind the trees, or in the air watching. Chloe swallowed hard every time she heard a snapping twig or an animal scurrying between the branches, while Richard did his best to stay still and calm as they went through on their new journey.

For a long time, that was all that happened. They moved slowly through the woods, dodging poisonous-looking plants and moving among the thick groves of mossy trees and thorny brush that sprouted up on either side of them.

Still, Chloe was sure to keep her mind open in case anything actually happened, and she certainly hoped Richard was doing the same.

And indeed he was. Richard was turning his head in each direction every few minutes to be sure there were no problems arousing. And just as often he was listing names of books to be sure he would know what to do. He, in a way, was reminded of when he could list every statistic known to mankind. They were his life, it seemed, in those days. He wondered what percentage, if there was one, of people got killed in forests every year by unidentified objects or animals. Very few, he hoped, because this was an exception to the ordinary.

Soon, as Richard was listing his books, he noticed a thin sliver of light cutting through the darkness at the far end of the forest. "Do you see that, guys?" he asked. "We're almost there."

"How wonderful!" Alice exclaimed, letting go of Richard's hand and racing to the edge of the woods. Her footsteps thundered gently on the woodsy floor, and her little silhouette grew hazier the further she went. Chloe followed her, soon catching up at the mouth of the forest.

"What is it?" Richard called from behind them.

There was no answer for a few minutes, but soon enough, Richard heard Alice gasp.

"Alice," Richard said, "what's going on? What do you see?"

"There's something queer out here," she remarked. "I've just stepped out, and some sort of invisible wall has almost stopped me. What do you suppose it could be?"

Chloe, listening to Alice's description, stepped up beside her, and shuddered as well when she advanced forward. Shocked, she shook her head and looked up and down and all around, as if searching for whatever unseen thing had touched her.

"You're right," she said, looking down at Alice. "There's something weird going on out here. Come and see, Richard."

"Well I don't know what I'll _see_," Richard remarked, catching up to his friends. Although he wasn't too sure what they were talking about, he was beginning to get some idea of it. It made his heart jump when he considered the notion.

By the time Richard caught up to Chloe and Alice, his skin could already feel that wind-rush-like draw of something that he hadn't felt for such a long time. And in fact, as he reached out his hand to feel the difference in the air, his hand seemed to pass right through something like a quick gust across his skin.

A shiver ran down his back, and Richard made a wide grin appear on his face.

"You know what this means?" he asked.

Chloe and Alice looked at each other, then at Richard. "No," they both said together.

Richard stepped back from the membrane of air that surrounded him and his friends. There was, before them all, a wide stretch of land, luminous in the dank night with the bright moon, but still very bland and grey in its appearance. But when he stepped through the air, the land completely transformed. The grass was a mix of green and brown, but the land was now glowing with a high afternoon sun, a warm summer breeze passing through the space. It didn't hold as much beauty as one would expect from the fantasy section, but it was a good step-up from the horror they had so recently run for their lives through.

"It's a border, guys," Richard replied, feeling the border with his hand still. "We're passing from one section to another!"

Alice and Chloe both looked on, awestruck. "You must be joking," Chloe said, looking from each direction at their new surroundings.

"Would I joke about something like _this_?" Richard wondered aloud, gesturing madly in front of him. "It's like coming home after what we've been through!"

"That's true," Chloe agreed with a nod of her head. "It's glorious seeing everything so bright and sunny. Geez, I don't know how long they kept me up in that tower, so this is just…so…so…"

"Curious?" Alice suggested. "That's what I think of this."

"Well we won't get anywhere else by just standing here with our mouths open," Richard said, already starting to jump down from the trees and into action. "We're this much closer to getting back to the rotunda!" Chloe followed Richard's enthusiasm, taking Alice's hand and racing after him down the hill at the edge of the forest.

And down they ran, their heartbeats pounding all throughout, the hard ring of their footsteps reverberating through their legs. In fact, this new kind of excitement at having reached the end of the horror section induced a hidden laughter in all three of them, and not since the very end of the party had they laughed so long and hard.

Alice even went so far as to dance around with Chloe, laughing like a kookaburra, in a sweet, melodic sound. Richard turned to look at her, and Chloe, who was giggling along with her. There just seemed no better way to express their happiness at having conquered the spooky forest, and finally moving onto a new chapter in their perilous adventures.

When the three of them had had their little celebration, they turned their gaze to the sun, rising high into the bright sky. They stood together, three minds with but one thought.

"Now what do we do?" Alice wondered aloud.

Richard reached into his pocket, and moved his hand around to find the battered compass. He expected to feel a cold slab of metal touch his weathered fingers.

But in both pockets, his hands turned out nothing.

Richard almost gasped out loud, but he was able to suppress his inner panic. He didn't know how the compass could've been lost, but he didn't dare express his feelings.

Pulling his hands out of his pockets, Richard simply cleared his throat, and then took a deep breath. "I think…I think I might know where we can go," he said. "If…" Opening his hands, Richard whispered, "_Treasure Island_. _A pirate's spyglass_."

He lifted the tarnished telescope-like object to his eye, peering through to observe the land around them. Curiously he spanned the horizon, coming to view nothing but trees and shrubbery, and even some great birds sweeping the sky with their long wings. Even now it still thrilled him to see such new scenery, but it couldn't quite hide his disappointment at seeing no civilization for miles around.

But then, his eyesight fell upon something far away, something that he didn't notice before with a relaxed gaze. His eyelids closed slightly over his eyes, peering harder at the sight before them all.

On the edge of the horizon, there was a large, wooden building. The shingled roof was weathered with age, surrounded by tall trees, even standing adjacent to a hidden river, coursing across the land as gently as a lullaby.

"There!" Richard blurted automatically. "There's a building!"

Both Chloe and Alice rushed closer to Richard, as if trying to fight for a look through the spyglass. Immediately they began to ask questions, showering him with enthusiasm.

"Shh!" Richard finally replied. When his friends were quiet again, he handed them each the spyglass, still trying to focus his vision on the building he saw. It was secluded, alone in the entire world, it seemed.

"There's someone there!" Chloe said loudly. "No, wait a second! There's three of them. Now six! There's a whole bunch of them! Some of them are carrying some buckets."

"Could it be a farm?" Alice wanted to know, placing her hand over her forehead to better see the place ahead of them.

Chloe didn't answer; she only leaned further forward to see more. "They look like decent men," was all she said for the moment. "Maybe they can tell us something about this part of the library."

Richard was, in all truths, unsure about going down to that place to ask where they were. When he got the spyglass back from Chloe, he watched the band of men walking around the building, one of them going towards a farmhouse a short distance from it. Their faces were soiled with soot, a couple of them looking quite gruff and serious. His eyes widened in the slightest, when he saw the man walking to the farmhouse carting a rifle in his belt pocket.

"Looks like a farm of gangsters to me," he noted uncertainly. "I really don't know what they will do for us."

Chloe stiffened at the mention of the possibility of gangsters, but she was starting to have a feeling what kind of story they were walking into. She was almost sure of it.

"I think they can tell us something," she said. "If they're farmers and farmhands, they should know the land, just a little."

"And if they're not?" Richard challenged, lowering the spyglass from his eye.

"Use your imagination," Chloe suggested, starting to step down in the direction of the farm. Alice hopped down after her, her dress puffing out a little as she rushed after her. Richard sucked in another breath, touching his battle-ridden sword for good measure, before following his friends into another unknown adventure.


	7. The Farm in the Salinas Valley

_**Chapter 7**_

It wasn't too long before Richard, Chloe, and Alice were at the foot of the hill, on the border of the fence that surrounded the farm. There was no gate where they came from, so they just hopped the decaying planks, sweeping the dust of the ground from their clothes. Alice, being so small, had to be helped over by Chloe and Richard, and even when she was on the other side, the curious gaze in her eyes never melted.

The trio of travelers stood where they were, seeming to wait for the surroundings to soak into their minds, rather than inquiring what was going on. Even Chloe seemed to not want to move. But her hand was stuck to her chin, one eyebrow cocked high on her forehead.

"Now what are we supposed to do?" Alice wondered, raising her hands in question.

Neither Richard nor Chloe could reply to that.

Instead, Chloe took a step forward, and started across the dirty terrain, not giving any indication where she was headed.

"Um, Chloe?" Richard began to walk after her.

"Whoa, hold it up there, kid," a voice said.

Richard harshly halted himself when a man no younger than eighty was at his side, accompanied by a limping dog with sagging skin, and fur that stank like nothing else.

"Whoa, excuse me," Richard said, trying to push past after Chloe. But the old man put a wrinkly hand on his shoulder.

"Whaddya doin'?" the man wanted to know. "I don't reckon seeing you around here before."

"I just need to follow my friend. She's over there." He pointed off to Chloe, who was standing at the other side of the field, looking back at them while some of the other farmhands were gathering around her.

"That young lady there?"

Richard nodded.

The old man chuckled. "Ah, hell, kid. She's not fit to be in these parts of the Salinas." He peered at Chloe, observing her like she was an unseen specimen. "The girl's like one of those fancy damsels you read about in th' storybooks."

"Chloe!" Richard called to her, ignoring the old man's comment.

"Richard, come on!" she said, gesturing wildly for him and Alice to follow her.

"Richard, huh?" The old man grinned lopsidedly at him. "Can't say I've met a Richard before. My name's Candy. Good to meetcha." The man extended his hand to Richard, dirty with farm work and speckled with calluses, but Richard meekly returned the gesture.

"I'm Alice," Alice said, coming forth with a polite curtsy.

"Hello there, little miss," Candy said. His dog barked at Alice, panting like he was waiting for her to give him a bone. She only bent down and patted the old creature's head. The second that she was back on her feet however, she gave a little cough, putting her hand to her throat.

"Ya like him, don'tcha?" Candy said. "Had this dog since he was a pup. Ya just can't find any other kind of dog like him, truly."

"So I see," Alice said. Her voice was a little strained, as she tried to maintain her manners in the wake of the dog's thick, ugly smell. Even Richard had a hard time keeping a straight face while the dog stood by him.

"Come on, you two," Chloe called out again. "They can tell us where we are."

"So you're lost." Candy put his hand down to Alice- who peered past him to notice that his other hand was missing- and he started leading her across the field. "Well then, hows about we go inside the bunkhouse and talk a minute? Curley's gonna get his knickers tied in hellsa bunches if he sees we're off work too long. He's been awful cocky since he got married, ya know."

"Who is Curley?" Alice said.

"Who's Curley? I'll tell ya 'bout Curley," Candy replied, a little disdainfully. "Curley's dad is the boss o' this place. Wife lives in the room over the barn, always lurking 'round places she ain't wanted. And I tell ya, Curley ain't much different. Keeps us in line like hounds do sheep- thinks he's got this place right in the palm of his sweaty hand. Pray t' God ya never run into him, or his pig wife. That heart o' hers is icier than January, even t' sweet children like you." He gave a cautioned expression towards Alice, who looked like her eyes would be squeezed to bits with the disgusted frown on her face.

"She sounds awful," Alice stated. "But, what about the other men? Are they nice? If a man like Curley married a woman like his wife, he must be twice as horrid."

Candy chuckled. "Aw, now, don't you worry yourself about the others. They's a bit rough 'round the edges at times, but they always got good hearts. I reckon they'd like to meet a flower like you, and your brother."

Alice looked up at Richard. "Richard's not my brother, simply a friend," she said. "We're traveling across the library to get back to the rotunda."

"Ain't ya now?" Candy was fascinated by this ordeal. "Come now. Why don'tcha tell me 'bout it, would ya?"

Alice cleared her throat, and started to go on about their adventures, her face colorful while she excitedly spoke. Candy was attentive, his dog giving little barks during the story. Chloe had meanwhile managed to catch up to them, walking alongside Richard, and also talked about the farmhands who had greeted her on the field.

Finally, Candy pulled open the bunkhouse door, and they stepped inside. The place was dim, and smelled of musty hay, but adequate enough to not bring disgust. Alice took her place on one of the bunks, but she instantly stepped back up when she let out a little cry.

"What?" Richard and Chloe yelped at the same time.

"It's a mouse! Oh, a poor little _mouse_! It's dead!" Alice stepped further back from the bunk, her hands over her mouth in shock.

Candy stepped up to the bed, and observed the corpse, with its paws pulled together and its tender eyes closed peacefully.

"Aw, it's allright," he said. "That ole coot Lennie's always carryin' 'round somethin' in his pocket. Never lets his old buddy George know 'bout them- he'd get in some trouble."

Richard and Chloe looked at each other, recognizing the story of the famous literary characters from _Of Mice and Men_. Alice, however, looked on with her mouth agape in an odd way.

"That's queer- a man carrying around a dead mouse. What for, anyway?"

"The coot's like a little kid," Candy replied. "Jus' likes feeling soft things, is all. Yeah, we think it's downright weird ourselves, but we like him jus' the same."

Alice nodded, glancing with a reluctant eye back at the mouse. "Poor thing," she whispered. "It sounds like he cannot help himself, and no one understands."

Candy shook his head. "Hey, it's Curley who don't understand a thing 'bout the friendships we've got with Lennie and George. Those two come a long way to be 'ere. Hard times and hard hearts like Curley are thorns in our sides, 'specially George's."

"Where are they? George and Lennie," Alice wanted to know.

"Aw, Lennie's always disappearin' somewheres," Candy said. "Think Slim said he's in the barn, maybe."

"_Don't you go yellin'_!"

All four heads turned when a long, loud cry penetrated the bunkhouse walls. Followed by the sounds of grunting and struggling, Candy's dog started to whimper, its knees shaking.

"You'd better sit your dog down," Alice said, pointing at the creature. "His legs are shaking."

"Rheumatism. Gets worse all the days," Candy said. "But I think there're worse things happenin' than my sick ole dog." Candy started for the door, followed by Richard, Chloe, and Alice.

Outside the bunkhouse, the farmhands were shouting out to each other, having started a game of horseshoe while Curley was absent from the scene. The barn was suddenly quiet after all the strange sounds of struggling, as though it was actually empty of any life. All was instantly…normal.

"Queer," Alice said slowly.

Candy strode to the barn door, and Richard, Chloe, and Alice stayed behind. But while Candy came closer to the door, Chloe inched forward, and Alice followed her. Richard was even more hesitant to go, having a bad feeling about what he would soon see.

"Lennie! Oh, Lennie!" Candy was calling out. There was a short exchange of words, but after Candy gave a great shout, and the horses inside were stamping and whinnying in their stalls, he came quickly from the barn, running across the field to the horseshoe game. Even faster, he returned with a burly-looking man much younger than himself, with a dirtied hat and a face sweaty from heat.

"What was it you wanted to see me about?" the man wanted to know as they walked quickly into the barn. And this time, the children did follow them inside.

In the corner of the barn, under some high-slanted sun beams, Candy pointed. There was a slim figure covered with hay, buried thinly enough to be seen. It was a young woman with sausage-like curls, heavily made-up eyes and cheeks, and fingernails of devil red.

The sweaty man bent down, and put his hand on the young woman's heart. He whispered something under his breath, and didn't move for some time.

"What done it, George?" Candy wrung his hands while he watched.

"I should of knew." George's voice was cold, his teeth gritted together.

Candy shook his head in slight disbelief. "We oughtta let 'im go. Curley gonna get 'im lynched- gonna _kill_ 'im!" He paused. "Such a nice fella, ole Lennie. I didn' think he'd do nothing like this."

George shook his head solemnly. "Listen, tell ya what I want ya to do," he finally said. "I'll go to the bunkhouse, and then you come out and tell the boys what happened. I'll come out, and act like I didn't know, so they won't think I was in on it. Okay?"

Candy nodded. "I'll surely do it."

Without another word, George left the barn, closing the door behind him.

Candy looked at the woman buried beneath the hay. Richard watched the old man's eyes on Curley's wife, dead of a broken neck. Candy's voice was full of contempt as he spoke through clenched teeth, "You done it, di'n't you? Everybody knowed you'd mess up. You wasn't no good. No good at all!"

Behind him, Alice's eyes were open, and wet, like she were about to cry. Chloe's mouth was open halfway, her eyes shining over with the shock of it all. Richard just turned his head towards the barn door, anticipating a mob of men to come in and inspect the crime. But he couldn't quite call it a crime- more like an accident. This was one story ending he could remember, in which Lennie had been entranced with the woman's pretty hair, and couldn't help but try to touch it.

"He went too far," Richard found himself murmuring.

Candy averted his gaze from the corpse. "Listen, ya lot. Things is gonna get pretty nasty 'round here. Was nice chattin' with ya, but I suggest you get yourselves outta here before you get caught up in it."

Alice nodded her head, too frightened to speak.

Chloe took Alice's shaking hand, and started to lead her from the barn. Richard stuck behind.

"Whatcha waitin' 'round for?" Candy asked him. "Better get out. Get out and head down the river- that oughtta take ya far away enough." Then he laid a hand on Richard's shoulder. "For the love of God, take care of them ladies. They a sweet lot, and ya wouldn't wanna lose 'em."

"I will." Richard put on his best brave face, although a little unsure.

Candy grinned, patted Richard's shoulder, and then pushed him gently towards the barn door.

Richard opened the door, and exited fast, not daring to look back while Candy came outside to notify the farmhands of the death inside the barn.

He caught up with Chloe and Alice, who both stood at the fence, just starting to climb over. Hoisting Alice up in his arms, he brought her to the other side, jumping over after his friends.

"Where do we go now?" Alice asked, looking nervously about her. At this, she clung tighter to Chloe, who held the frightened girl close like a caring mother.

Richard looked off in the direction away from the farm. He saw nothing but trees and rolling hills, but upon taking a step closer to them, he could faintly hear a gentle babbling and a low splashing.

"The river," he said loudly, turning back to Chloe and Alice. "We have to go to the river!"

"What river?" Alice wanted to know.

"Come on!" Richard grabbed Alice's hand, and yanked her and Chloe in the direction of the gurgling, his footsteps crushing the grass while his friends followed him. They seemed to be racing against the sun, which set lower and lower in the sky, covering the forest in a light dimness; enough to cause them to trip over rocks and thick grass clumps in their hurry.

At last, the gurgling swooshed through the trio's ears, and they came to a slowing stop. Ahead, Richard could just make out the glint of running water, and he started rapidly for it.

He halted then, when he watched a large figure step out from the brush near the river. The figure moved to the water like a stalking bear, but only stopped at the shore to dip his lips in for a drink. A little bird skittered across the water, and the figure raised his head to watch it.

With a closer step, the sad silhouette of Lennie became lighter, and they watched his innocent eyes cast themselves upon the river. His lips moved, to words so soft and melancholy that the trio was glad they couldn't hear them.

Then, out of the same brush, came George. The branches rustled, and Lennie turned to face him, his face unchanging.

The two men bent down towards each other, exchanging some words between themselves. It was hard to tell from a distance whether said words were angry, sad, or happy, but the exchange was tense enough for Richard, Chloe, and Alice to stay still and watch for what would happen. And the more time that passed, the more Richard's nails drove into his sweaty palms.

Then a light summer wind channeled through the trees, making waves on the river, and magnifying the sounds of men's cries- far off, but looming closer like a thundercloud.

George looked up and pointed across the river to another expanse of green and hills. "Look across the river, Lennie, an' I'll tell you so you can almost see it."

Lennie glanced up, and a tiny grin broke out, as for an instant, the dream of ever owning a home with George came alive. He really could almost see it- a little cottage with lots of land, and rabbits to tend to. He loved those rabbits.

Behind him, George reached into his pocket, and pulled out something hard and dark brown. He snapped it in his hand, and then pointed it to the back of Lennie's head.

"We'll have a cow, and maybe a pig an' chickens," George whispered.

"And rabbits," added Lennie.

"And rabbits," George repeated, his voice shaking.

"George, I thought you was mad at me." Lennie's voice was shaking too.

"I ain't mad at you, Lennie. Just one thing I want ya to know."

"Let's get that place now." Lennie rose on his knees in looking towards the imaginary farm, as if praying for it to appear.

George then held the object to the back of Lennie's head.


	8. Going Down the River

_**Chapter 8**_

Terror seized their hearts while the trio leapt, the harsh bang snapping like an explosion around the mountainsides, zipping through their ears like bullets. It happened so fast none of them had time to suck in a breath, before they turned to escape.

Richard's heart smacked his chest when he was suddenly lurched backwards, landing on top of something sturdy, vibrating under him when he came down. His palms hit the surface hard, wincing at the pain while Alice unexpectedly fell into his lap.

"Let's get out," Chloe said, closing her eyes.

Richard fell forward into Alice when they suddenly began moving. Water gushed gently on either side of them, splashing on little rocks, while the boat bumped up and down with swift locomotion.

Richard craned his head behind him, and watched the thin river rush by, swirling and rippling in extraordinary patterns into the grassy shores. Its surface was a twilight blue, glinting every now and then when it happened to catch the sun's final rays. Their boat was heading into the clearing that the river cut through just beyond, through the mountains and onto the horizon.

Beside him, Alice sat on her knees, leaning her gaze downward towards her distorted reflection in the water. But then she stepped back from the bow of the boat, and bent her head down into her lap.

Richard glanced behind at Chloe, who sat at the back with her eyes focused intently on the boat, and lips pursed in concentration. He then flicked his eyes to Alice, who had pulled back entirely from the bow, and wrapped her arms around her knees.

"Alice?" Richard turned so that he was facing his little friend. "You okay?"

Alice didn't speak for a long moment, only looking into her lap, where her once crisp dress was tattered and worn. Her hair was tangled, hanging over her face before she swept it away.

"I only hope to get to the rotunda soon," she finally said. "And still alive, too. I've never seen fighting like the tower, or such violence before. I've heard of things like that happening all the time in the world, but I never thought it would find me." She raised her head to Richard, and wiped her face with her hand. "I'm frightened, and I want this to be over."

While Alice huddled deeper into her lap, Richard was brought back to the serious words Candy had said to him. In facing one obstacle after another, he knew there would be many more to face before they reached their destination. It made his heart race, but he swept that all aside.

Gently, Richard touched Alice's shoulder, and she looked up.

"Come here, Alice," he said. "I've said this over and over, but I can promise you. This world is dangerous, but it's definitely not hopeless. I mean, we've have made it this far. So we're going to do our best to keep you safe."

Alice smiled.

"Besides, what would the world do without the first little girl to go through a looking glass?"

Alice smiled even wider, and wrapped her arms around Richard. She nuzzled deep inside, pushing her cheek against his side.

"It'll be okay," Richard said, putting wholehearted faith into his words.

For a long time, Richard kept Alice close, and Chloe steered the boat in between rocks and around curves in the river. The world around them grew dimmer, then darker, until nighttime was upon them. The moon and stars dotted the sky, creating a nighttime spectacle, but not enough to light their way. In a second, Richard conjured a bright lantern, holding it steady at the front, while Alice began to make herself comfortable in the middle of the boat.

Finally, when the surroundings grew quiet, and Chloe began to yawn, Richard switched places with her, using two oars to stroke through the water. Chloe lay down next to Alice, covered by a couple of blankets to keep out the chills. While they rested, Richard concentrated in developing a rhythm of rowing and watching his friends at alternating times. At first, the oars were like heavy planks that he could hardly push with, but he was slowly able to shove them back and forth. The night had become very still, so there were no forces of nature to keep the water from flowing against the boat.

Of course, the late summer air brought about fireflies, which speckled like Christmas lights around the river. Even more so, were the night birds that tweeted their calls, sweetly filling the night.

Then, as the woods thinned out, and the sky grew wider, it also became more silent. There were no more bird calls, not quite so many lightning bugs. Only the gurgling of the river heightened- gently strange in the darkness- and the sounds of Chloe and Alice's deep, sleepy breathing.

By the light of the lantern, and the stars, Richard squinted his sleepy eyes to look around. The water still glinted beneath the oars, but the ripples were bigger, expanding in the space, never hitting the grass on the shores.

But, where _were_ the shores?

Richard scooted closer to the lantern, and taking hold of its handle, waved it around the darkness. The golden-yellow light fell upon the water, the waves making the boat rock like a cradle. But no matter how far out Richard reached out to illuminate the space, there was not a hint of green around anywhere. The river was all he saw.

"Whoa. We're really not in the valley anymore," he whispered. And the more that he observed the ever-present water, the harder he felt his blood pound.

Sitting back in the boat, Richard put down the lantern and grasped the oars with tense fingers. Still, he couldn't shake it off. Darkness in the middle of an unknown, widening river was unnerving, especially when the circumstances could have changed so much. He was becoming almost certain that something was waiting to attack their boat. It would be almost too easy at this hour, when the advantage could be stolen if Chloe was the first to be attacked, or if the lantern was accidentally submerged in the water…

To vent some of his fear, Richard stroked harder with the oars, hoping to get far away enough before anything could actually happen. At the same time, he tried to mimic Chloe, in keeping an open mind. Even at sixteen, the dark still had the power to torture him. But it was all the worse now, because he had precious cargo aboard- _especially _precious, if survival in this world was to be certain.

Tension had so overtaken Richard, that it took him several minutes to notice the lights.

Lights, thousands of them, twinkling on and off, were hovering in the black. Watching them, the oars pumped faster, splashing some water into the boat and soaking through the blankets. Richard wiped his face, and with a newfound focus, continued to push the boat towards the civilization ahead of them. There was hoping that danger wouldn't ever come, and he was eager to reach it before morning came.

Morning…

Despite his excitement, the darkness around him was powerful in draining his energy. Richard had been rowing for most of the night now, tired from the escapade through the farm, and now from the never-ending stroking through the night. The aches in his arms were suddenly becoming sharper, much more prominent the more he flexed his muscles.

The lights were coming closer, so very, very, close now; he could touch them if he reached out. Still, Richard's arms felt like jelly, his feet soaking in his weathered boots. Laying down felt very enticing, like a hot bath in winter…

The oars still clenched in his fists, Richard leaned over into his lap. The lights of the city were slashing the darkness, but that didn't cease the boulder-like feeling in his eyes. His head hit his knees, gradually sliding down at Chloe's feet, dropping the oars, which both clanged on the boat's sides. The sound touched his ears, but sleep slowly overtook him while the boat floated along the river like a piece of driftwood by a beach.

"Richard." A gentle voice suddenly broke the silence. "Richard."

Stirring awake, Richard slowly raised his head, which was heavy from sleep. He swept back his bangs, and stretched his arms with a long yawn. "Chloe," he said, "what's going on?"

"About time for you to rise and shine," she said, pointing around her. "Also thought perhaps you would want to see the next literary masterpiece we run into."

"What? Whoa." Richard sat up straighter, stretching himself again and straightening his clothes.

"Care for some breakfast?" Chloe whipped her hand around in a grand flourish, and produced a plate of steaming food, setting it down on Richard's lap.

"Morning, Richard," Alice said as she sat beside him. "Oh, I can hardly believe it. We've arrived back home!"

Still a little delirious from sleep, Richard jolted in his seat and looked wide-eyed at Alice. "The rotunda?"

"No," Alice said with a laugh. "I mean, we've arrived in London. Go on, please take a look."

Richard squinted curiously at Alice, before he turned his head to see it. The sky was cloudy, but beneath it, was laid out a grand city. On either side of the wide river, there were marvelous buildings, with city-goers strolling outside. They were of the finest architecture, some reaching high for the sky. All kinds of boats were streaming down the river, with horns calling loudly into the day with cries of laughter and jovial conversation.

"It's not quite the rotunda," Alice said, breaking Richard's reverie. "But it's home."

Richard shrugged. "Well, at least we won't have to worry about the cold, like when we met."

Alice giggled in response, but her teeth were suddenly chattering, like castanets.

Both Richard and Chloe were taken aback. "Alice, you need a coat?" Chloe asked, leaning towards her.

Alice shook her head. "The wind's picked up a little, that is all," she answered.

Richard frowned. She said she was all right, but with the way her shoulders were shaking, and her hair tumbling around her head, it was clearly no ordinary summer chill affecting her. Even he was starting to get the shivers.

"Here, Alice." Chloe pointed a finger at her, and made a thick winter coat cover Alice's body. She stopped shivering, but her hair was still snapping with the strong breeze.

Chloe sighed, and put her cloak hood over her head. Richard did the same, the two of them huddling into them while the wind continued to stream across the river.

Richard took a look around. The waves on the river were tumbling over each other, snapping violently as they sprayed into the boat. The trio took cover from the mist, yelping as wave after wave smacked the boat's side.

All around them, other boats, even the massive paddleboats, were starting to rock on the river, their passengers crying out in confusion. Flags were whipping, and an occasional hat came sailing across the sky, which was growing full of darkening clouds.

Chloe tugged on her cloak, pulling it tighter around herself. "Don't look now," she said nervously. "But I think we've got a pretty big wall cloud coming."

"I really hope you don't mean that," Alice said, staring at the huge black clouds gathering just above the city. And these clouds certainly didn't look the normal thundercloud picture. They were monstrous, dark, bubbling within of grey and purple. Little white flashes sparked inside of them, illuminating the rolling wisps of vapor.

For some long moments, nothing happened. The city seemed to have slowed down, watching this strange new phenomenon roll in overhead. The flashes rolled throughout the growing storm, but there was never once a sound of thunder.

"Strange," Chloe whispered.

Instantaneously, a bolt of white-hot lightning sparked the ground, shoving a shower of sparks out over the water. The trio drew back with a scream, whipping their heads away from the flash, which seemed to prolong itself until Chloe forced herself to look back in wonderment.

"What is it?" Alice said, lifting her hand away from her face.

Richard stared, not believing the power of that single lightning strike. This was not good.

"That's definitely not good," Chloe said, watching as a crowd of people started to gather around the crater the strike had created. She grabbed at the oars and with a brief shut of her eyes, caused the boat to start through the water again. "They've come."

"Who have come?" Alice turned to Chloe, outright fear shining in her eyes while her knees trembled like hammers.

"We should just get away while we can." Chloe shoved with her imagination at the boat, coursing faster. "Before that big, silver cylinder opens up."


	9. The Martians are Here

_**Chapter 9**_

By the time Chloe had mentally pushed their boat further down the river, a humongous crowd of people had surrounded the site of the lightning strike, expanding almost the entire expanse of shoreline. The storm boiled over their heads, looking like it could shoot down another bolt of death, but everyone was more interested in the destruction. Several observers looked between each other, and either shrugged, or gave little gasps of shock. Richard was doing the same thing- looking between the people and the storm above. He was too absorbed in all this, to even notice that Alice was starting to grasp his arm in a tight pinch.

"Ow! Alice!" Richard finally protested when she got him too hard.

"Sorry," she anxiously said. "Oh! Oh goodness! Richard! Look!" Alice shot her pointer finger at the scene before them. He whipped his head around, and his expression turned as wide as Alice's saucer eyes.

In the middle of the crowd, something was twisting and writhing about, like a great snake. In fact, it almost seemed to be, with a long body of wriggling silver, topped by two luminous disks of silver. And while the people around it dispersed and broke apart, the snake was followed by something else.

Behind the snake, came a huge, bulking creature, also made of silver. It was huge as a bear, maybe larger, with skin oily like leather, but with large eyes, and tentacles like a squid. It moved about like one too, but a lot more clumsily, making the most disgustingly inhuman sounds to reach someone's ear. At this point, the crowd had broken apart, enough that the trio could see the monster struggling out of a large, silver cylinder, still smoking from its fresh impact with the earth.

As if that wasn't horrific enough.

One of the tentacles from this strange beast lashed out from its body, taking hold of someone in the crowd. Its other tentacles lashed out too, moving fluidly around the unlucky spectator's body like a serpent, until a scream signaled for the creature to snap its limbs in opposite directions. A strangled yelp pierced the air, and a collective gasp from other spectators sounded while the beast dropped its victim to the ground, dripping with a dark liquid.

Alice doubled over, almost about to be sick, until she ducked behind Richard. "Oh, no, that poor, poor, person!" she said in a shaky voice. "We should do something!"

Her plea went unanswered, as Chloe only pounded on the boat with her fist, like she was whipping a horse, trying to make the boat go faster. "No, no, Alice!" she said. "We can't involved in any more trouble than we already have. Those monsters aren't the worst things to disgrace a page, but they can be a force to be reckoned with. We most definitely do not want that!" She grunted loudly, now pushing with her body to increase their speed.

The darkening sky was suddenly blasted again, when a bright light, and three distinct puffs of bright green flame, shot from the deep crater, right next to the dangerous hump of killer silver. The blasts came a second time, and were so bright this time, that they turned everything surrounding it a green-yellow color, only disappearing when the phenomena did. And in the midst of each blast, there came a hiss that rolled itself into a long, loud, sad droning. The trio shoved their hands over their ears to recover from the noise, but it didn't stop their hearts from racing.

A great, strangely-shaped object rose from the crater, and the otherworldly, hellish sound magnified itself tenfold. The green rays suddenly appeared again, bouncing off of a group of nearby men, who all simultaneously glowed a white-green. When the light disappeared, the men were all gone too!

"Oh, no! We have to hurry!" Alice cowered low into the boat, covering her head with her coat, and placed her hands over her head, like in an emergency drill.

"I'm going!" Chloe yelled over the droning of the creature from the crater.

The monster raised itself to full height, calling out into the storm in the awful screech. And suddenly, from all over the city, trees and other buildings were set alight with the same deathly green flame, while cries were heard from wherever the rays hit.

"They're multiplying!" Richard said loudly, throwing himself into action. "Stay down, Alice! We're going to go really fast!"

Swiftly, Richard slapped his hands on both sides of the boat, calling out, "_The Wizard of Oz books, the wings of the Gump!" _and there was instantly a kind of gentle vibrating where his hands touched. On either side, there came four pops as a pair of huge, palm-leaf-like wings spread out, branching out some more while they flapped vigorously against the waves.

"Go!" Richard cried out to the leaves, and they quickly took the boat to a faster speed. Alice gasped loudly in her position, as the boat tipped while it got used to its new wings. And slowly, the bow of the boat tilted upward, as the leaves cranked furiously to take to the skies.

Just above the water, while the boat started to fly, the sky gradually changed to a bright blue-green, flashing like deathly emeralds while the Martians sprayed their heat-rays. All around the river, buildings were smoking that same color, creating a loud void throughout the city while Londoners were running further away. They were all hopping over each other, the charred, fried ones standing out like devil spawn all over.

Alice and Richard fell back to the stern of the boat, crying out in surprise while the boat slowly gained altitude. By this time, they were just above sea level, the wind rushing into their cold, wet faces. Chloe however, stayed at the front, holding on tightly while the last waves touched her face.

A giant ray of green splattered the water below them. A scream escaped Chloe's mouth as she accidentally loosened her grip on the boat. She slid fast down the boat towards Richard, forcing a blow of air from his lips when she slammed into him. He put a hand to his mouth as Chloe scrambled to get off of him, but Richard grabbed onto her.

"No! Stay here, and get down!" he yelled over the droning of the Martians, taking her hands and gluing them to the boat floor in his grip. He threw his gaze to Alice, who looked at him with such fear that he automatically knew consolation was not an option. "You too, Alice!"

Richard grabbed the blanket from the floor, and covered both his friends with it, looking up at the Martians, which all began to show themselves more throughout the city. Green rays were more prominent, flashing like lightning storms while they started to advance through the distant suburbs, and finally all the way in. Every one of them looked the same, with the harsh metal armor, and the large, luminous disks for eyes; tentacles raised like limbs, and spraying the heat-rays in all directions, bent on destruction.

The aliens shook the city with their footsteps, making the waves splash onto the shores and flooding onto that part of the river. The water collided with the buildings, creating a marvelous mist of white that would have been truly beautiful were it not such a sign of danger. And in between the clouds of mist, little black wisps flitted to and fro, like blobs of airborne ink. When the aliens weren't droning so loudly, the trio could hear wind rushing like a hurricane through the sky, as the strange shadows came in and out like dangerous insects.

One of them zipped past the boat, and Richard ducked himself down over Chloe and Alice. The whooshing sound it made while it flew that close knocked against his mind, and suddenly, Richard's heart swelled like a balloon.

"It's them!" he whispered, following them with his eyes. "They've come back!"

Chloe poked her head out from under Richard's arm. "Who? Who, Richard?" she asked.

"It's the shadows, the ones from the rotunda!" Richard pointed at them while they zipped around the sky, attacking helpless people as the Martians continued their rampage. "I think they're helping the aliens."

"What?" Chloe shoved aside the blanket onto Alice, and watched them. "Well, I don't know what we can do. I can't just poof them into oblivion like before. And something tells me we'd need more than arrows to get rid of them."

"Don't do anything!" Richard said firmly while he recovered Alice in the blanket. "We just have to make it through this story without interfering, and get Alice safely to the rotunda."

"I know, I won't!" Chloe resumed her position at the floor- hands over her head, and her eyes closed. Almost instantly, Richard was thrown back into the boat as its speed increased. Now the Gump-like boat was flying like an airplane, fast and sure. Richard was holding on for very life, his body hovering over Chloe and Alice beneath him.

But then Richard had to duck as a whole mass of the shadow creatures whooshed overhead. They flew in precise formation, making turns in and around the buildings, only stopping to widen the void of Londoners in sight now.

"Okay, Chloe," he said softly, "it's important that we find out why these things are here. Maybe they're something simply created by the villains to slow us down; like those red wizards at Dracula's tower."

"Maybe," Chloe answered. "But we probably won't know unless we can civilly interrogate a villain, or when we get to the rotunda. The book of Lore Sir Hugo talked about might have the answer."

"I hope," Richard said, not daring to look at the creatures.

Still, the terrifying curiosity was too much, and Richard peeked to his side to view the advancing Martians. His heart choked him as one of them eyed the boat, one of the bright disks gazing straight on, one of its tentacles raised. A bright circle of green light was glowing within it, becoming whiter and whiter as the circle grew larger.

Richard lunged. "Chloe! Brace yourself! They're going to shoot…!"

His call went unanswered as he took Chloe and Alice to the front of the boat to make the escape.

A white-hot, searing streak of heat touched behind them, blazing like a laser as it tore across the boat. Splinters polluted the air while it was rapidly split in two pieces, several pieces of the Gump wings flying like confetti, while the three friends jumped from the boat. And with the river racing towards them, Richard lunged again to grab for his friends' hands.

He felt nothing, as the icy currents swallowed him up in a single, pelting splash!

The water flashed brightly again, while bubbles rose around Richard, tickling his freezing skin and making his clothes billow as everything around him became dark blue. Currents rushed by with immense pressure, sloshing and rocking around, almost like the river was trying its best to keep him submerged. Every part of Richard's mind was screaming for air, his arms and legs kicking furiously to reach the surface.

The moment that he broke through the water, Richard's mouth opened in a loud, long breath, as he thrashed about in the waves. He was about to call out to his friends when a large wave splashed over his head, momentarily submerging him again, but he pushed back through, whipping his gaze in every which direction in search of a familiar face.

"Chloe! Alice!" His voice didn't carry very far in the chaos surrounding him, and so he continuously tried to call them the further that he swam. The swimming part was no easy feat, as the water was deep and icy cold, and the waves crashed like mad against each other. The water shook with the Martian's steps, heightening the waves, and pushing Richard further away from hope of finding his friends.

While in the water, Richard tried to make it to shore, ducking in and out as stray boats rocked near him, and debris showered like hail, sounding like thunderclaps in his ears. His eyes were flicking open and closed as water sprayed violently. But he was hopeful still. The shore wasn't that far away.

The journey there was exhausting. Not being the best swimmer, Richard's energy was leaving fast, and the forgotten fear of the Martians was beginning to haunt him. They were multiplying, devouring the city quickly while Londoners were streaming across the shore for some unknown destination. The heat-rays were going on often enough to turn the sky the exact color as the deathly weapons, which made seeing ahead of him even more difficult. Add that to the hyper state his mind was in, wondering where Chloe or Alice could have gone, and it was completely easy for Richard to just stop and let all hope go.

Richard was swimming so blindly through the water that a heart attack nearly gripped him when his nose bumped into the hard, earthy surface of the shore. Scrambling to his senses, he reached up to take hold, but something attached to his cape and he was immediately dragged back down. He let out a loud gasp as the water trapped him once again, but then, before he could even think of what happened, arms gripped him, and shoved him onshore, sending Richard into a sputtering of coughs and deep breaths.

He slowly pulled himself to his feet, and shook his head to clear his head, but someone grabbed his hand and hurried him along.

"Hurry up, Rich! C'mon! If we don't hurry, that ferry will leave without us!"

The familiarity of the voice woke Richard like cold water, and he opened his eyes all the way to see Chloe's head of sopping red hair, bouncing against her back and sending a light mist behind her. She was racing against a huge crowd of people, pushing through and muttering quick pleas to get past.

"Chloe!" Richard was too relieved to say anything else.

"Let's go, hurry!" she shouted, looking back. "Quick, take hold of Alice!"

At the mention of his friend, Richard looked to see Alice in Chloe's other hand, and she quickly fell back to him. With quick reaction, Richard grasped Alice's hand tightly as he could, absolutely refusing to let go. She was gasping, heaving huge, wet breaths while they ran, and Richard felt the urge to pick her up and simply carry her to wherever they were going. But the rapid beating of his tired heart told him otherwise, and he just kept going, following Chloe's swift pace.

Finally, he could recognize their destination. At the far end of the shore, there was a great ferryboat, rocking on the waves despite being tied up, and frightened people were rushing aboard in violent streams. Its polished surface was flashing as the sky was lit up by the heat-rays.

But the closer they got to the dock, the harder it was to push through. The crowds were denser than ever, shoving anything aside just to get onto the boat. Several times, Richard had to duck to the side to avoid being punched or eyed with a gun, and each time he heard Alice cry out, he had to pull her closer to him.

By the time they reached the end of the dock, the scene had entirely erupted. No one was really trying to board- just trying to hurt or kill anyone in the way of safety. At this, the trio clung close to each other like glue, watching the violence unfold for seconds before they finally turned to board the ferry.

Getting caught in the crowd was easy enough, but getting onboard was difficult. Richard immediately found that the gangplank was already heavily damaged by the hasty docking, and the rush to get inside. The planks that stuck up for better grip kept getting in the way, and the crowd pushing them forward was no help at all. Hastily, Richard refocused his eyes on the doorway ahead.

They were almost there.

Until a particularly strong man shoved through the bunches and punched Richard and Alice aside.

Richard was pushed far enough to the side that he was suddenly teetering on the edge of the gangplank. People called and cried, pushing through so that it was difficult for Richard to regain a good footing. He held onto the old railing ropes, trying to get back inside and find Chloe and Alice, although he couldn't see them in the crowd.

"Chloe! Alice!" he screamed. "Chloe!"

He could hear them both reply in anguish, but the damage was already being done. The crowd was too big, and the ropes snapped.

Richard plummeted from the gangplank and into the raging ocean, where the waves didn't greet him quite so well. With the Martians still rampaging through the city, and the stormy waves created by their raging wrath, he was threatened to be dragged away from the boat.

The shock of falling into the water was tremendous, and Richard had a hard time resisting the waves that smacked him against the ferry. Water filled his mouth, and the waves never gave him a moment to spit it back out. It fell down his throat in salty mouthfuls, and Richard had to painfully sputter to heave it up. But not even that helped. The forces of nature were overcoming him, and the ferry still rocked powerfully- enough that the possibility of it swallowing him up was getting high. Richard started to swim away from it, in the meantime, trying to think of something to bring him back up to the ferry, calling out with a hoarse voice to get attention.

No one so much as looked down at him.

The harder Richard kicked, the more it seemed the waves were dragging him away from the ferry. The debris from the attacks was still falling, clogging his view of everything around him, and the spray from the waves was worse than torrential rain. His voice was getting hoarser and hoarser, becoming less noticeable.

Richard would have tried to summon a boat, but the instant he did, the Martians' intended aim would come too close, and he would have to keep to the swimming.

There was nothing left but to give to the ocean. Who knew where it would take him next.


	10. The Island of Ogygia

_**Chapter 10**_

When the ferry was no longer in sight, Richard had finally stopped fighting the waves altogether. His fear of the open ocean was overwhelming, and with the waves constantly crashing over his head, there was no true hope of escape. His mouth tasted dreadfully of salt and grime, and his bare skin stung from the overexposure. At this point, he wanted nothing more than to curl into a ball and let the waves carry him away.

But, then again, maybe Richard wasn't quite willing to give up altogether just now.

Deep inside himself, Richard could feel his conscience yelling for him to keep going, to push away all his fright and put his head to work again. I am a Proverb, he thought, but what can save me when I'm so exhausted and in the middle of some ocean?

For a time, Richard considered his options, and focused on deep breaths to relax his tired muscles. And during that period, he drifted far away enough from London that the waves started to crash less and less, becoming a little gentler. In those waves, Richard was better able to calm himself, and think more clearly.

At last, he was able to muster enough strength to call a raft, which he hoisted himself upon with jelly-like arms, but could at least save himself from the water. The breeze was freezing against his cold skin, making his teeth batter harshly, so he conjured a fresh cloak for himself, wrapping himself inside so snugly that from far off he would have resembled a misshapen bear, rather than a human being.

Once that was done, Richard collapsed without a second's pause onto the raft floor. The thoughts whirling in his mind made him feel sick, and his endless swim through the ocean didn't help much at all. It was hard to believe, even now, that in less than a day, he had managed to lose both his friends, and was now stranded in the middle of who-knew-where. After having spent such a time with Chloe after their reunion at Dracula's tower, and being so glad to see her after so long, he had never considered losing her again. Even more horrifying, was that Alice was gone as well, lost in a crowd of terrified boat passengers, and perhaps never to make it to the rotunda on her own. Quite truthfully, Richard had taken it to heart that he was supposed to protect his friends, no matter what the odds were. And the fact that they were both gone, and he was lost yet again without any help, slashed at him like two great knives, so it was hard forgetting about them.

Besides, what he needed- wanted- at the minute was to simply close his eyes and sleep. Everything that had happened- rowing through the night to London, running from the Martians, then taking an ocean swim, and then being separated from his friends- left him without any energy or will left, and so he succumbed quite easily to rest.

With the raft rocking like a cradle in the midst of the waves, Richard closed his eyes, and pulled the folds of the huge, furry cloak into him. His skin was like gentle fire since the brutal cold now, and his muscles automatically slumped when sleep fell upon him like a warm nighttime blanket.

For several hours, Richard's raft floated aimlessly across the water, the one sail billowing in the breeze. Richard stayed tucked away inside the cloak, very still, like some lonely corpse floating out to sea for an unknown destination. And as he slept, the color came back into his cheeks, and his breathing more prominent while the cold lifted from him. His mind, for the time being, was calm, without any horrid dreams to disturb him, and for the first time in a long time, he slept to his heart's desire, temporarily without care.

_Chuckink!_

A humongous jolt shook the raft, and Richard tumbled from slumber, rolling forward and out of his cloak, into a mound of pure white sand. His clothes, still damp from the swim, became full of the white grains, etching into his skin uncomfortably.

Wait! Sand?

Richard raised his head, scratching the sand from his hair, rubbing it from his eyes. Surprised, he scooped his hand through the sand, and felt his stomach turn to discover that he was no longer stranded in the water.

Land!

But, what kind of land? And, maybe, what kind of people lived on it?

Richard raised his dazed head up again, and slowly began to take in his surroundings. Before him, there were several stone mounds, of the same pretty white as the sand. They rose to different heights, like a bunch of marble skyscrapers, all polished and shiny. They sparkled like ice against the bright sun, magnificent compared to the normal, natural mounds Richard remembered learning about. These were certainly not like that. They had to have been constructed by powerful, magical hands- far too beautiful for a mortal.

And then, up on the flat top of one of the mounds, there came a large figure, clad all in dark color. Richard leapt up in case the mysterious thing might be a shadow creature, lifting his hand to attack it, his legs spread apart to run.

But the figure slowly emerged, and a human head appeared, with long, gorgeous hair waving in the high breeze. The blackness surrounding the person was a dress, fragments of thin and dark fabric moving with the wind.

"Great! Civilization!" Richard thought for the second time, relaxing his tensed hand. But then, when he stepped back to further observe this new spectacle, his breath escaped him with wonder.

On top of each of the mounds, a human woman was standing. They were dressed in similar clothing, all with dark colors of blue, purple, or black, but very simply. No large, poufy skirts, no grand jewelry- just simple dresses with simple objects strung into their loosely-hanging hair. Each of the women stood perfectly still, their faces turned to the water, and their hands placed together at their stomachs, like a statue in a temple with hands together in prayer.

"Can't they see me?" Richard wondered aloud.

"They do not come down, nor look elsewhere, until they are called."

Richard gasped, turning to the direction of the voice. It had been high, feminine, and mysterious, as if purposefully hiding a secret beneath the beauty.

And, quite beautiful it was.

Not too far from Richard, there was a young woman. She had long, curly dark hair, framing a face of rich-looking skin. Bright, piercing eyes sparkled in the middle of her perfect face. A small nose topped a pair of full, lavender lips, which slowly parted while the woman smiled at him.

"Where am I?" Richard asked her. "I- I need to get back to my friends."

"You are safe. That is all it shall ever be," she answered.

"But, _what _exactly, is this place?" Richard elaborated. "Which ocean, which island- just…what?"

"This is your home." The woman's gaze, and her expression, never changed in light of this answer. When Richard looked back at her, she simply grinned, not giving an indication that she would say any more.

"You don't get it," Richard said. "I've come here by mistake, and I need to find the rotunda, and get back to my friends."

The woman looked at him, almost like she was sorry for him. "No one goes from this island," she explained. "It has everything that you'll ever need for your life."

Richard looked wide-eyed at the woman.

"You look tired," the woman said. "Would you like water?"

Richard didn't quite trust this woman- much less her mouth- but after that awful journey through the water, with the salty taste still grimy on his tongue, it was hard for Richard to keep his head from nodding.

"Bring water!" the woman called. Immediately, some of the women standing on the mounds stepped down, disappearing from view. Soon, they came to the sand, all of them helping to carry an enormous jug. It sloshed gently while they carried it, and then finally handed it to Richard. Tentatively, he removed the plug, and raised it to his lips. The icy liquid smoothed across his dried tongue like melted chocolate, and he found that he was raising the jug higher and higher, letting the water rush down his throat, dripping out of the corners of his mouth and into the sand.

"Feel better?" the woman asked, peering down at Richard.

Richard absentmindedly nodded his head, dazed from the relief the water brought.

The woman only smiled, holding out her hands to help Richard from the ground. He was hesitant, but eventually, he was back on his feet, sweeping the sand from his clothes.

"It's only every couple hundred years I have a guest," the woman said softly. "Come. Come and rest inside my home." She started a slow walk towards one of the bigger stone mounds.

Her words threw Richard off. "Hundred years," he said to himself, while the pieces slowly started to come together. "Are- are you a goddess, or something?"

The woman turned, and swept back her dress, to reveal her long legs covered with bangles and gold and silver bands.

"I am, but only half," she answered, a fierce, daring sparkle glinting in her bright eyes. "I am Calypso."


	11. The Door Under the Crevice

_**Chapter 11**_

The inside of the stone mound was like a huge cave, with a mouth at one end, and a giant hearth in the center, where a fire was always burning. Several of the young women who stood on the other mounds were gathering, tending to the fire, and holding spools of thread around a massive loom. Calypso sat at the loom, weaving with a strong hand, her maids whispering and squealing around her.

Richard was lying down, wrapped in his cloak by the fire. While warm and cozy, his stomach was turning in mad flips, his eyes never leaving the beautiful nymph sitting by the loom. He was suddenly remembering what this all was. Calypso was the famous Greek nymph who kept the hero Odysseus on her island for seven years, giving him great luxury before he was asked to be freed by the messenger god, Hermes. There was no true danger afoot, but he was thinking of what this conniving nymph had in mind. No slavery or hardships- just nothing but blatant pleasure between the two, and a lifetime of blissful immortality on the island. It was disturbing to think of such a thing occurring, especially when there were other places he should be.

At this moment, one of the maids crept up to Richard, petting his fur cloak with tentative amusement. She giggled and gestured to another one to follow her. The other girl squealed loudly, the sound grating on Richard's ears. He greatly resisted the urge to kick them away, for fear of being discovered awake by Calypso.

"Away from him!" the nymph's voice said harshly, cutting through the stony walls. Richard and the maids flinched, and the two girls retreated hastily, while Calypso left her loom and walked towards Richard, who immediately closed his eyes and pretended to sleep.

"There's something great about this young man," she crooned. "A person of his years could never have stayed on Poseidon's sea alone and survived, without any weapons or food. What? What does he possess?"

Richard felt his toes curl nervously. If Calypso thought he was ordinary, that would be fine enough. But knowing that he was one of the Proverbs, well, that would almost double the impossibility of escape. Surely a slithery creature like Calypso couldn't resist a person with power.

"Well, a brave-hearted human nonetheless," she said. "There's no doubt he would make a fair companion. Fair-haired, skin like marble, eyes like crystal…"

With the slippery, icy way that she spoke about him, Richard had to chomp his teeth together to keep from opening his eyes and throwing sparks at her. He did not appreciate the way this woman intended to use him, and most definitely not what he might endure in the time he spent on this island.

But then, why was he suddenly feeling so peaceful, lying there, while this beautiful creature sat so near him? She was sitting so still, just a pinch alluring, her long-nailed fingers massaging the hot surface of his leg. She inched along very easily, her nails leaving a soft etch where she touched. And for the moment, it was actually calming, beginning to lure Richard into drowsiness.

Then he got a tickling sensation, as Calypso's fingernail trailed further and further into his inner thigh…

"Hey!"

Richard scrambled from his position on the stone slab he was lying on, and vigorously swept his hands across his legs, as if brushing away Calypso's touch. He straightened his shirt and glared at her.

"What the heck do you think you're doing?" he said, loudly enough to echo throughout the whole island. "That is _not _a good place to be near me!"

Calypso seemed unfazed by Richard's outburst. "Don't worry," she said, very smoothly. "It's easy to be afraid when you have come somewhere unfamiliar. I can soon make it better." Slowly, she stood from the bed, and started for Richard, her arms outstretched. "Come back over here. I'll let you return to sleep."

"No, forget it," Richard said, turning towards the mouth of the cave. "I'm going to go. Now."

"Go?" Calypso's voice was full of longing, but it didn't mean a thing to Richard. "You cannot leave so fast. There are no ships."

"Watch me!" Richard raised his hand, and opened his mouth to call another raft, the open ocean beckoning.

Then, out of nowhere, three of the maids appeared and took Richard by his arms, dragging him back into the cave. Having some time to react, Richard forced his hands out of the girls' grasps, and called out "_Stephen King's Firestarter, hot skin!_"

The girls suddenly began to whimper, as Richard had instantly turned his skin red hot- steaming gently, but hot enough to burn the maids' hands where they touched him. They ran about whimpering, racing to the water to sooth their burns, but the salt only made them worse. Richard grinned, keeping in his triumphant laughter.

Calypso stood at the mouth of the cave, one hand hanging onto the rim of the opening, her mouth fixed in a tight line. Her eyes were bright, now shining like the moon. It was amazing, even to her, to see something like that happen. That was the kind of work only the gods could evoke- this seemingly-usual boy had conjured fire on his bare skin, by invoking the words of a book.

"A Proverb!" she hissed.

Richard was quickly retreating to the beach again, but another set of maids tried to take him. This time however, when he tried to go Firestarter on them, one maid took a jug of water and dumped it over him. Of course, he tried the tactic again, but he could only make himself lukewarm, so the maids could drag him just where they wanted- right back to Calypso.

She looked at him, a mixture of seduction and excitement in her expression.

"You…you are a Proverb," she whispered. "One of them."

"Okay, so I am," Richard said. "You can take it or leave it."

Calypso said no more, only seeming to explore every corner of Richard's fiery face, and then pulling him further into the cave. Finally, when she brought him back before the fire, she turned herself around, her dark hair swishing around in Richard's face; he had to twitch his nose to shake off the tickly sensation.

"You must truly miss your other friends," she said. "The rotunda is so far off."

Richard didn't answer her.

"It's difficult to be so far away. I understand. Come and rest here, and I can help you." All the while, she gave Richard that alluring smile that was becoming her trademark. Like always, it didn't affect him at all. He was repulsed by this nymph, ready to shoot her, and her maids, down so he could leave for good.

"Like I said, you can forget it!" Richard sat up straight, and glared right into Calypso's eyes, fighting the beautiful spell that could so easily take him. "I don't care what you say. I won't come and rest over there." He gestured to Calypso's lap with the strongest expression of repulse he could make on his face, and kept it there.

"My sweet boy, it's dangerous on the sea," Calypso said. "Staying on my island is your only hope of sure survival, even with your god-given powers."

"They weren't given to me by the gods," Richard said defiantly. "It was the books that did that to me. _Your_ world here is pretty much nothing compared to what the Pagemaster will get back once this war's over."

"That is not the idea, boy." Calypso's calm face was starting to falter. "After all that I gave to you, I would expect more thanks, even from a god among the normal people."

Richard shook his head. "If you let me go, maybe I would thank you. But even then, maybe I wouldn't. Men probably don't appreciate you taking them prisoner just so you can make them love you. It's sick!"

"This island is here, and here is where you will stay!" Calypso lunged at Richard and then gently started to put her hands on his face, but he resisted.

"No!"

Calypso's eyes flashed madly for just a second, looking almost lethal. But then she relaxed her grip, and stepped back an inch from Richard. "Very well," she said. "But, do not ever believe that your loneliness will grant you a way out." She stood up, and went back to her loom, furiously pulling her tools to and fro through her work.

Later that night, when Richard was alone in the cave, and Calypso out in the tide-pools on the beach, he huddled into his cloak like a little tent, facing the star-filled sky. After the fiasco that afternoon, he didn't have a feeling he'd be escaping any day soon. Any _day_ soon, he repeated. That was how long Calypso no doubt intended to keep him prisoner on the island. Although the conditions wouldn't be absolutely dreadful, he didn't look forward to the endless days of a nymph trying to love him. He stuck out his tongue and made a face just thinking of it.

Sighing deeply, he rested his chin in his hands, staring at the moon and the stars over the sea. And suddenly, everything that he remembered about Greek mythology came flooding back to him. Perhaps now, the goddess of the moon, Artemis, was watching him in his misery from the sky. Or Poseidon, on the waves, was just glimpsing him as he splashed by.

The moment he remembered it, Richard suddenly didn't feel so alone. In this world, the gods were as real as he was, and could take on human form when he asked them to.

Instantly, Richard sat up. An idea was beginning to form in his mind. Perhaps if he could communicate with one or more of the gods, they could help him escape the island!

Quickly, Richard got back down, and covered all of himself but his head with the cloak, bending his head down, as if to pray. He shut his eyes, and whispered as loudly as he could without anyone nearby hearing him.

"Oh, mighty, Zeus. Hello? If you can hear me, I need to ask you for some help. The nymph, Calypso, has trapped me on her island, and refuses to let me go free. I am the Proverb of the Books, Richard, and I must get to the rotunda to find my friends Chloe, and Alice, and Peaseblossom, and all the rest of them. Please. I have to know soon that they are safe, and that they are staying away from trouble. If you can, please watch over them and don't let any danger come to them." Richard paused, opening his eyes to look around for any sign of movement, before he refocused himself, and finally whispered, "thanks."

It wasn't until morning that Richard was able to get an answer. He pretended to be asleep so that he could hear a god coming- if they were as responding as he remembered- and then answer them, without Calypso's immediate interference. For when he awakened, he didn't hear Calypso at her loom; only the maids running around performing work.

Because the bed was so close to the mouth of the cave, Richard was certain he'd hear anything coming, whether it be a rat or a god. And he was shaking in his cloak waiting for a god to reply, hoping that he would be rescued by the end of the day, if not the morning.

For a long time though, Richard had been lying so still that he was luring himself back into peaceful sleep, his breathing becoming more prominent under his cloak. And finally, his stagnant body became utterly silent, slumbering…

"Richard."

A voice smoother than honey crept into Richard's ears, and he stirred, rolling over so that his cloak fell to the floor, and he was discovered by the figure that floated over his bed.

"Richard." The voice repeated itself, a beautifully muscular arm reaching down to touch him, the warmth radiating powerfully from the glowing skin.

Richard's eyes snapped open.

Before him, there was a man, with perfectly toned muscles and eyes bright as pearls. In one hand, he carried a staff shaped like the caduceus, and on his feet were golden slippers with little flapping wings attached to them.

A little gasp came from Richard while he took an abrupt jump back from this strange person in front of him. At the same time, he was excited, and shocked- there was a man there, and he was radiating a pure holy light that only meant one thing.

"You're a god," Richard said.

The man widened his eyes at Richard and looked around. "Where? I do not see a god."

"What're you talking about? You _are _the god!" Richard didn't understand what this was about.

The man turned back to Richard, and laughed- a gentle sound from his belly that shook the floor. "Just a little jesting, boy. I_ am_ a god, but I still take most every chance to play the trick card."

"Okay, so you're a god…" Richard took a minute to observe this majestic being, slowly coming to the conclusion when he saw the winged sandals. "Hermes," he finally said.

"The one and only," the god said, raising his hands high in a grand flourish.

Richard flung himself from the bed, and then stood at the god's level. "Oh, thank god you're here!" he exclaimed. "Are you here to help me get out?"

Hermes shook his head forlornly. "Alas, I am only the messenger god. However, I can bring you some news. Zeus himself heard your prayer for help, and he has sent me to say that he personally wishes you to go free. I am here also to inform Calypso of these conditions, and that dreadful things should befall her island if she does not comply to release the next hero that comes into her claws."

"About time," Richard muttered. "You wouldn't believe what she's been trying to do to me since I came here."

Hermes smiled and shook his head again. "Unfortunately, it is her wish to steal men's hearts, and their freedom. But since you sent such a strong, heartfelt prayer, Zeus has answered to your distress above all else. You don't quite know how lucky you are."

Richard laughed, so great was his joy he couldn't express it any other way. "Thank you so much!" he said. "But, wait. What about Chloe, and Alice, and the others? Do you know anything about them?"

Hermes frowned. "Now is where I cannot jest to you at all. She is in a whole other world, far away from this island, and thus, out of our reach."

Before Richard's expression could droop, Hermes swooped a few inches down, and gave a hopeful smile. "But, not all hope is lost, dear boy. After you prayed to Zeus, the gods created for you, a secret way off this island that Calypso shall never find."

He pointed with his caduceus to a far part of the cave floor. Then he flew towards the exact spot, and knocked his golden hand down on it. It echoed gently, vibrating against the floor, not sounding wholly solid. Richard quickly ran to Hermes, and knocked again, placing his ear down on the ground.

"It sounds hollow," he remarked. Pausing a second, Richard crept down further into the ground, and pushed his fingertips into a crevice nearby, pulling up like a trapdoor.

Underneath the crevice, pushed deep inside the hard terrain, was a tiny door. It was no longer than Richard's foot, and no wider than a book cover, so at first, he didn't really see how such a small portal could get him anywhere. But after a moment of swift thinking, he smiled. He knew just what he could do.

"Whilst I am paying Calypso a visit," Hermes instructed, "you are to make yourself small enough to fit through this door, and disappear as quickly as you are able. After you have vanished from this island, we shall see that there is not a trace that you were ever here."

"Okay," Richard said. He could hardly believe this. The gods had answered him after all, and what's more, there was actually possibility of escape. Make that a _certainty_ of escape.

"Thank you!" Richard said. "Thank you!"

Hermes bent down so that he was actually on the ground with Richard. "We don't, and cannot, do _everything_ for man, but there's faith that not even Calypso can keep you here."

"I'll fight if her maids catch me," Richard said determinedly.

"We'll be with you," Hermes said, flying back up. He said one last "Farewell!" before finally departing to find Calypso.

Quickly, Richard raced to the bed, and clasped on his cloak, swinging the furry hood over his head. Just as quickly, if not more, he returned to the door, ducking down into the groove to hide.

This is great, just wonderful, he thought gleefully. And with that one thought, Richard set to work. He pointed to the ground below him, conjuring a plate of plain-looking cookies. The only difference was that each one of them said, "Eat Me", in scrumptious chocolate chip.

Deeply excited, Richard moved for the first cookie he spotted. He was hesitant though, in taking the bite. He honestly didn't know what was going to happen when he bit into the magical cookie, but there was no real time to worry about something so small compared to getting Chloe, and finally going back to the rotunda.

Tentatively reaching the little cookie to his lips, Richard took a bite, and with two shaking fingers, opened the door.


	12. Chloe on the Ferry

_**Chapter 12**_

In all the screaming and rumbling around her, Chloe found it extremely difficult to concentrate. She was inside the bottom deck of the ferry, sailing out to sea, and surrounded by crying babies, whimpering women and children, and men yelling at each other to get out of their way. Every second, she faced being kicked in the limbs, getting tripped, or just terrible body odor. The conditions on this ferry were awful, with everyone thinking the apocalypse was at hand, and no room to move around.

What was worse; Chloe didn't see Alice anywhere.

For hours, it seemed, Chloe did her best to make a full circle around the ship in search of the little girl. But she was blocked at every turn by a sailor or a terrified passenger, and could only go around the deck she started at. It was enough to make her scream like the baby lying next to her. Under more normal conditions, Chloe would have comforted the infant. But without Alice or Richard at her side, she felt as alone as when she was in Dracula's tower. She felt like yelling, and at this point, was certain she could scream louder than even the shrillest lady onboard.

Her imagination was working rapidly to think of something to get her off this boat, but it was hard to when there were hundreds of Londoners making so much noise that she couldn't hear herself wonder. Finally, she buried her head into her tattered dress and covered herself with her cloak. This way, she felt at least a little bit separated from the chaos.

Inside her little tent, Chloe was able to at last picture something, and that was just _quiet_!

Instantly, like smoke, the noise turned off, and just as quickly, her shoulders relaxed, leaning exhaustedly against the wall. The noise was gone, but Chloe's heart was still in torment. By this time, she had given up hope of finding Alice, and felt awful for having so easily lost her. Being lost in this crowd was probably worse than Wonderland itself, especially when you could be pulled in a million directions and there was no one to turn to; not even pure logic could save her. Just picturing little Alice wandering day and night through these dense crowds alone gave her a headache, and some of her emotion poured out through her eyes, wetting her skirt.

It felt good to let out a couple of tears, but Chloe's heart was not broken just yet.Now that it was quiet, she was able to think straighter and consider her options. She knew that there was no way to get off the ferry without a compass, and so that was what she did. Mimicking Richard, she created a little enchanted pocket compass, complete with the directions in which she could find the sections. Then surely, she could more easily find her way to the rotunda. There would be no more fooling around, even if Richard and Alice were gone for the time being. It had been weeks- maybe months- since she, Richard, Sir Hugo, and Jip made their way from the Pagemaster's palace. It would be more than glorious to see familiar sights, and finally walk into battle to end the war, and send herself home.

Tucking the compass safely in her pocket, Chloe leaned her head against the wall, and closed her eyes to think further. But somehow, the darkness and quiet made quite the pleasant mix, and then, she found herself pulling her cloak in closer, and cuddling into it like a big blanket. While the silence carried on, Chloe rested her tense muscles, and began to let herself sleep…

A jolt was what later awakened Chloe from sleep. The ferry was now dark, rocking back and forth gently. In lifting the cloak from herself, Chloe half-expected the scene to still be bustling with screams and sobs. It was surprising to find it naturally silent, even when Chloe lifted the quiet with her sleepy imagination.

Around her, bodies were still on the floor, on the stairs, and the benches. Deep, tired breaths were the only sounds in the air- enough that Chloe was afraid to move, in case someone spotted her and tried to take her. But near her, she saw the open staircase leading to the main deck nearby, lit by the dark blue of the night sky. Making her way to the stairs, Chloe readjusted her cloak and began to walk.

That was, until something on the floor made her trip onto the stairs in front of her.

Biting her tongue to suppress a frightened yelp, Chloe quickly stood up and whirled herself around with a swell in her heart, to spot what had tripped her. She breathed out when she saw she didn't trip on a person; there was some_thing_ in the floor, sticking out in the new light like a shadow.

Chloe bent down, stepping out of the way to better spotlight the dent on the ground near the wall. It was very deep, like a rabbit's hole- it actually was a hole- and could maybe have fit an orange through the opening. Curious, Chloe patted the floorboard with her palm. A hollow sound came through the floor and then through the nearby wall like a deep echo.

An idea zipped through Chloe, although for a moment she doubted it. She dipped her fingers through the hole and pulled up hard like it was a cellar door. And suddenly, with a low creaking of old wood rubbing the other floorboards, she lifted up the wood like a door without a hinge, taking with it some of the others in the wall. Using all her strength, Chloe pulled the rotting wood away, careful not to make too much noise in case someone caught her damaging the ship.

Chloe's eyes widened when she saw the surprise behind the floorboards. A long, dark tunnel stretched down the wall, not a bit of light appearing down the way to break the darkness.

Footsteps followed from nearby, patting the floor with hasty steps. Chloe nearly cried out with fear when she heard them, but finally scrambled through the opening into the tunnel, making a grab for the floorboards and pulling them back into place before the mystery walker could find her there.

Closing the boards into place with her fingers through the hole, Chloe turned and began to crawl down the tunnel, ignoring the dismayed yelp of the ferry official behind her at seeing the damaged wood. Her skirts got caught under her legs sometimes, so she had to pause to untangle them. They grew worse with her hurry to get through the tunnel, but she managed fine with her hands, having grown very nimble from handling her bow and arrows, which, with a thought of her mind, strapped onto her back.

At long last, Chloe began to see a faint circle of light before her. She crawled faster until she was speed-crawling to get to the end, her skirts almost tearing from her bodice with her haste.

Chloe was now going fast enough that she tumbled out of the tunnel, rolling head over heels into some brighter place. She ended up with lost arrows, dirty skirts, and a dizzy head. Shaking her head and straightening her clothes, she stood up to make fact of her new surroundings.

Instead of being in another deck of the ferry, she was now in an enclosed garden, closed up on all sides by stone walls and dead trees with intertwining vines on their branches. Crunched up leaves were floating like brown paper snow from them, covering the dead ground in a light sprinkling. In one corner under the trees was a stone bench, vines and branches hugging it to the ground. A large birdbath filled with water stood next to it, speckled with leaves. Nearly every plant and tree, save for a few miscellaneous flowers and rosebuds in a few spots, was dead and in sad shape, hanging like wet noodles from the trunks and walls.

In spite of this surprising sight, Chloe had to shut her eyes tight before opening them again. This couldn't be true. The ferry boat had been surrounded by water. The tunnel couldn't have led her into this garden, where it was the middle of the day rather than the night.

"Could this be the secret garden itself?" Chloe wondered, having become able to dismiss these strange things. She reached out a hand, touching a large branch that felt brittle and tender as an elderly woman's finger. It fell apart at the touch of her fingertips and fell to the ground like depressing confetti.

A low croaking sound whispered from the corner of the garden under the bench. It sounded louder as a large, green frog hopped from the bench and looked at Chloe with its large black eyes. She stepped closer to it.

"Hello, little fellow," she said, bending down to it. "You been here very long? Is there anyone else here?"

"No, but you are here. And I am here."

Chloe nearly screamed when she heard the voice. But it wasn't coming from behind her or in front or anywhere else. The frog had been the only other living thing there. It had to have been the frog that had spoken!

Quickly, Chloe took out the enchanted compass, and studied the dial, which was turned towards the east- the very same direction as the fantasy section.


	13. Prince Ryland

_**Chapter 13**_

Startled, Chloe stumbled backwards, almost falling onto her behind again. She caught herself just in time before the frog took a hop closer to her.

"Good lady," the frog said in the same manly voice. "What might be your name?"

"I'm Chloe. And you?"

"I am Prince Ryland, naturally." He hopped closer and gazed at Chloe like she were a beautiful fly. "I am pleased to be meeting such a beauty like you. Suppose you could tell me where you are from?"

"Actually, I am fighting in the war," Chloe answered instead. "I am one of the Proverbs- of the Imagination. Maybe you know about that?"

Ryland stood very quietly, but then fell to the ground, flapping his webbed hands up and down in a frantic bow. "Oh, then the honor is all the greater, lady. A Proverb is a rare person to come by, especially when all my friends have disappeared from the face of the world since war broke out. Do suppose you will forgive me for not recognizing you. It was foolish of me to not have. Please?"

Chloe shook her head in reply. "Don't worry, little frog. I can understand why you didn't recognize me. But, do not try to flatter me with chivalry. That has been done _enough_."

Ryland hopped towards a nest of twigs and pine needles under one of the willow trees. "Come, lie down. You look like you have lost weeks' worth of rest. Well, naturally, of course. These are difficult times for a powerful girl like you."

With a half-smile, Chloe said her thanks and walked towards the nest, where Ryland stood. He let her lay down, and then hopped closer to her face. "Promise me one thing, lady," he whispered, "that I may lay alongside you and share your meals with you. Then I will share my hospitality for as long as you wish. It has been so long since I last had a companion."

"You and me both," Chloe said, remembering the seemingly endless voyage on the ferry. "But I also suppose you want something more than my friendship?" It wasn't exactly that Chloe wanted to do what she thought the frog wanted; she was simply hoping to probe it out of him, in case she was right in her assumption.

Ryland's eyes widened and he made a quick movement towards Chloe, as though he had remembered that last detail. "As a matter of fact, there is. There is something you can do for me." He leaned his body upward, lifting a webbed hand like a cat begging for a ball of yarn. "You must give me your best friendship, as well as your best love- with a kiss. And when you do, I shall be human again, so you and I can carry on our lives outside this garden- if and when we ever are set free."

Chloe took a deep breath and shook Ryland's hand with her forefinger and thumb. "It's a deal," she agreed, "but perhaps you could help me when we get out in return for that kiss. The thing is, I need to find a good friend of mine and then I must get both of us back to the rotunda to help the Pagemaster."

Ryland's smile fell. "But, Chloe my lady, you only just arrived. Why do you want to leave so soon, and when I haven't gotten the chance to know you? And besides"- he gestured towards the door, which was covered with vines, practically hidden from sight- "the door is locked, the key on the other side. I myself have spent my good time looking for it, and I have never once seen it cross my path. Until someone comes for us, you are trapped here, as I have been for many weeks now since the war has begun. I am sorry."

Chloe's heart sank, the possibility of escape slipping from her fingers. The war would continue to worsen without her, and they would be missing one of the most important people there to fight. She sighed, and looked at Ryland with a broken frown. "Thank you for trying, Ryland, but I must get out as soon as possible. If I keep my own promise, then you must at least promise to help me in turn."

"Gladly," Ryland agreed. "I would do that. But, for the moment, you must sleep; you will feel strength coming in your dreams once you do, believe me." Ryland gave Chloe an assuring look and hopped off to leave her be. She smiled after him; what a kind little frog he was.

With that, Chloe shut her eyes, imagining a warm fleece blanket enveloping her as the afternoon drifted into twilight. She could feel the sweet comfort wrapping her away like a cocoon, while Ryland had disappeared soon after, beneath the bench by the birdbath. Occasionally, she heard him jump into the birdbath to rewet his skin, but that was the only sound the thoughtful frog ever made after he had left her to sleep.

Chloe was out like a light bulb, breathing evenly and sweetly as night fell upon the little garden. The stars winked at her as they blinked dimly overhead, Ryland there right beside her under the bench, dreaming pleasantly in paradise.

"Rise and shine, if you please?"

Ryland's voice broke the silence in Chloe's head as he awoke her with his wet hand, slimy and cold on her skin.

Chloe stirred and moved to sweep some of her loose hair from her face. She rose up from her makeshift bed and pushing the blanket from her legs, gave a little yawn and whispered a hello to Ryland. He returned the gesture by doing a cute little bow after setting down a bunch of roses.

For a moment, Chloe glanced confusedly at the flowers. "What exactly are those for?" she wondered aloud.

Ryland gave a wry smile and gestured sheepishly towards the vibrant roses. "Why, these are for your bed-space, dear child. If you shall live here for some time until we are to escape or to be released, shouldn't you like something to make it as lovely as you?"

Chloe shrugged in acceptance. "Yes, I suppose so. Thank you very much, they're pretty nice."

"Your thanks are accepted," Ryland answered, bowing again. "I will admit, I am sorry I cannot provide you with a good breakfast. Preparing meals has never been one of my best talents; not to mention there is no true food back here." He glanced tryingly at some rotted berries nearby on a bush. "Unless you prefer dead, and, er, poisonous berries." He gave a nervous chuckle, shamefully flicking his gaze to the ground.

Chloe gave Ryland a confident grin. "You were right on one thing. I feel so much better now that I have slept a little, and, now, I can make us both enough food to last us a lifetime just with this." She tapped her temple knowingly, and closed her eyes, her head sparkling with a white halo of light while her thoughts took to the air. With a swish and a pop, a grand feast was laid out in the grass picnic-style- piles of waffles and bacon, with syrup and fresh strawberries for her, and a large bowl of buzzing flies coated together with honey for Ryland.

Ryland was awe-struck with rapture. He hopped to the bowl of flies with honey, and zipped his tongue into it, chewing for a second before swallowing the buzzing treat. He smiled like he had tasted heaven, and immediately zipped in for another. He repeated himself for every fly in the bowl, and even licked up the rest of the honey.

"A right-good cook you are, Chloe my lady!" Ryland said, slapping his tongue around his lips hungrily. "Honey with flies. That is something I have never tried before! Thank you!"

Chloe nodded as she bit into her last strawberry, turning her lips pink. Ryland laughed heartily, licking his lips, as his large, colorful eyes gazed up at her.

For Chloe, it was hard to tell whether or not she should be scared, or grateful, for Ryland's services. If he hadn't had said he was a prince, than she would have believed he was a servant.

The frog tried to do everything for Chloe. The moment she waved away their breakfast dishes, he offered to brush her hair, even to give her wash a dress while she bathed in the pond just behind the trees. Chloe thought it was a crude idea, but she still appreciated the little frog's kindness; the idea of watching him try to wash her grand, and ridiculously dirty, gown was almost laughable, but she bit her tongue to suppress giggles. It was cute, what he was trying to do.

And indeed, tucked behind the grove of trees next to her sleeping spot, was a little pool. It was as wide as a car trunk, but deep enough to submerge herself. Despite her trust in Ryland, Chloe magically produced some tall cattails and flowers that would shield her from sight, also giving the water a clean sweep with her mind. When she had, the pool was a powder blue, dim in the shadow of the trees, but still glinting in the spaces between the branches. And with the flowers decorating the space like bright jewels, it seemed only like a bathing spot for a goddess. Still, Chloe removed her dress, and slowly plunged her entire body into the water, her mind bringing a gentle steam to the pond as little ripples tickled the rim of the pond.

Her eyes shut, Chloe closed herself off from the world, feeling relieved. It was hard to believe she had come this far, and yet carried such stress inside- she could tell, for the instant she was fully submerged, her shoulders immediately dropped and her limbs fell dreamily to the bottom of the water. For a moment, she had actually forgotten where she was, and didn't really care; she was warm in a secluded garden, with a sweet and caring frog prince tending to her, without any vampires or aliens coming to attack. She felt certain that for the very first time since the tower, she was fully in control of what was happening around her, and could let go. As far as she knew, there was no other feeling in the world, and never wanted to let it go free.

Ryland kept his word that he would do anything for Chloe, if perhaps, more than what he promised. He spent two hours washing Chloe's dress- even though the only part he truly got clean was the right sleeve- and his webbed hands were well-weathered by that time. He insisted he keep going, but when Chloe was about to get out of the pool, she simply imagined Ryland's work done, and put it back on.

For just a couple of days, that was how they spent the hours. Wading through the pool, eating flies with honey, and brushing Chloe's hair while she fell asleep; Ryland did all in his power to ensure a pleasant stay for his friend, as she did the same for him.

But Ryland just had one question, after having spent such time with Chloe.

"Do tell, Chloe, my lady, and please forgive me if I'm pressing too hard," Ryland said, hopping up close to her. "Would you by any chance happen to have any, well, suitors, lovers? Anyone of the sort?"

Chloe swallowed a strawberry hard, a large chunk feeling like a rock in her throat. "What?" she gasped. "Oh, well, I don't think so. I mean, I have had a few crushes, but those have gone…"

"No, lady. Has there been anyone to ask your consent for marriage? Anyone you have truly loved? With your whole soul and heart?"

With an unsure frown, Chloe pushed the strawberry bowl away from her and tried to find a good answer. It was difficult when no one had truly expressed interest in her, where she would be obliged to reciprocate.

Well, what about…what about Richard? Did _he_ matter in something like this?

Of course, he had to; if he didn't, he wouldn't even be her friend. But…really, and truly? He had the nerve to brave the forests and weapons and dangers for her, to help her get through- the only one who had opened her up like a warm, old book without saying she was a strange outsider. Many thoughts came flooding in, and Chloe's insides slowly glowed, if a bit harshly, from what was beginning to manifest inside.

"I suppose…" She didn't finish, letting her voice trail away.

Ryland's true response was unclear. He didn't move, or act surprised. Still, he cast his eyes downward, and seemed to slump his hands to the ground. "Well, wonderful to know you have a good fellow looking out for you, dear Chloe. I've always been so alone, until you came to this garden. And so, now, I would like to reassure you that if and when something should ever happen, I will always be there for you. Frog or human, I will do anything to make safety certain for you."

Chloe's heart fluttered again, while Ryland stayed where he was, standing tall on his hind legs. He was no taller than a flowerpot, but to Chloe, he was as tall as he would be if he were human.

She picked him up and held him close to her; she didn't kiss him, and although Ryland was disappointed, he kept his same sweet expression.

Somehow, this sparked a powerful resolution within Chloe. She had only just realized how powerful her need to get out of the garden was. And if she truly felt as she did about Richard, she would have to get out right that minute.

Key or no key, she would bust out of there. She didn't know how she could without hurting herself, but she knew it would be done, one way or the other!


	14. A Reunion

_**Chapter 14**_

Patting his pocket carefully, Richard turned around and closed the door behind him. He did it quickly, so as not to take another peek at Calypso's island. A great weight came off his shoulders when he shut it, feeling a deep sense of accomplishment in escaping the seductive nymph, and that he was in the final stage of his journey. So great was his determined relief that he immediately turned around, and without any thought at all, stepped forth and started to walk. It took him a second or two to realize he wasn't even sure of where he was.

All he could say, was there were a whole lot of winding gravel paths, and stone walls covered with vines. It was kind of gloomy, except for the blazing spring sky, and the little robin that was hopping from wall to wall, tweeting its sweet tune.

Richard only took note of all this for another moment, before he began walking down the path, his eyes wide and alert. Escape had given him an extra boost of energy, knowing what he had to now do, and felt he could somehow navigate through these paths, despite how endless they seemed.

He scarcely walked five steps before a little brown bird with a red breast clicked its feet on the gravel, and flicked its beak up at him. Richard blinked quickly to register the little creature, but he grinned lopsidedly in recognizing it.

"Hey there," he said. "You've been expecting me or something?"

The robin didn't move briefly, but then, it flicked its beak again, and started to chirp a choppy note. It turned on its heel and flapped its wings to the nearest wall. Sitting comfortably on top, ruffling its feathers, it looked back at Richard with sparkling eyes.

"You want to show me something?" Richard said, gesturing towards himself.

The robin tweeted shortly before taking off again, flying behind a wall, and starting to sing another song.

"Whoa," Richard exclaimed, starting to speed-walk after the little bird. His footsteps crunching in the gravel, he increased his speed, moving past a continuing cycle of stone walls and vine curtains. Richard felt like he was moving through a movie reel, because almost every wall looked identical, feeling like they held the same thing behind their doors. The further the robin led him into the labyrinth, the less he felt he could trust its direction.

Finally, just when Richard opened his mouth to question the robin, it perched itself on top of a wall. This one was particularly covered in vines, thick enough that maybe there was no stone underneath. Richard saw no sign of a door, so he just shrugged at the robin, which tweeted loudly, pointing its beak down into the garden.

"What do you want me to do?" Richard asked simply, stepping closer to the wall. The robin tweeted louder as he did so, hopping up and down excitedly.

Unsure, Richard raised his hand to feel the wall. His fingers bumped up and down while they grazed the vines, the leaves waving as he touched them. When he stepped just a bit closer, his touch dug deeper beneath the growth. But, he probably went too far, because he stroked wood, catching on a thorn-like point that jabbed his finger.

"Ah!" Richard yelped softly, suppressing a curse while he pulled his finger from under the vines. The sting stuck, but there was no blood, so he quickly put his hand down, and looked back at the robin, which still stared with its glassy eyes.

"What?" Richard repeated, raising his hands questioningly. "Show me!"

The bird was stagnant, singing in a softer tone as though muttering to itself, and finally flapped down to the ground, thumping in the grass. Richard followed it with his eyes, and then, bent down to where the robin stood. It pointed with its beak into the grass by the door, and sung one note.

Richard gave the bird another lopsided expression, but still focused on that point. "Okay," he whispered, still a little uncertain. "I can take that hint, I guess."

With another happier-sounding note, the robin hopped away and took to the skies, leaving Richard at the foot of the great door, almost half hidden by the tall weeds and tangled grass.

Richard eyed the grass where the robin once was. "Why bring me to the bottom of this one door?" he wondered aloud. "It's just…overgrown"- his eyes started to light up- "but…maybe so…"

Guesses whizzing through his head, Richard ran his hands over the grass, pulling apart the blades and lowering his head for a better look. It was no easy task, keeping his head low in the tickly grass, but then, his eyes spotted something buried in the dirt.

In the bright spring sun, a speck of shine shimmered like gold, catching the light for just a second, but Richard instantly knew what the robin had been trying to show him.

His mind racing, Richard pulled aside handful after handful of dry dirt, and uncovered just what he had thought it would be.

In his dirt-streaked palm, Richard cradled a rusted, old-fashioned key, dented in some places, but still enough in shape to unlock a door.

_This_ door…

Richard made a dumbfounded sound with his teeth, the revelation streaking his brain like a shooting star. "Of course!" he said, grinning. "Why didn't I see this?" He looked down at the key, and then at the door, the vines already seeming to fall away from the everlastingly-shut door. "The garden- the _secret _garden."

Keeping the key and the door in his vision, Richard quickly put himself against the wood, placing his hands on it, groping for the doorknob. He knew that robin wouldn't bring him here for nothing.

…

Chloe and Ryland stood poised a few yards from the door. She was ready with her hair tucked behind her ears, and Ryland beside her.

"All right then. On the count of three, we're going to run for the door, and I will bust it open using some good pushes of telekinetic energy. It may take a while, but…we'll _do_ it!"

"Tallyho, my lady!" Ryland shouted out.

Chloe then patted her faithful frog friend and took a deep, deep breath.

"Okay, I'm coming. I am going to find you, Richard, if it takes me all time! We will end this war, _right_ now!"

She cracked her knuckles and took the first step, preparing her mind to make the push…

…**.**

Richard gasped suddenly.

"Hey," he said, looking at the door in awe. "Someone's in there. And…I think I know that voice…"

She was trapped there, waiting. Now it could only be up to him, and him alone, to free her. Nearly instantly, he felt the creamy softness of her skin in his hand, as though she were close enough to touch…

….just had to unlock the door.

With a deep breath of final resolution, Richard clenched the key so tightly he could feel its shape embedding deep in his skin. He readied himself to open the door, ready to see that radiant face and the flames of swirling hair.

"Okay now. No more fooling around! I'm coming in!"

Richard thrust the key from his hand and into the lock. He twisted it quickly, and threw the door open with a last pump of energy.

…**.**

Chloe's tension was building by the second, and she couldn't quite bring herself to run for the door. But as she forced herself to step forward, she suddenly was met with a miracle- as though an angel had stepped through the opening, come to wrap her away in joyous arms and take her…

The door had opened by itself, the vines holding it to the wall tearing away easily as wet paper. The world opened up beyond the wall; it seemed the flowers were waking up, wavering like they were alive. And in the doorway, was where Chloe's heart just about stopped with overwhelming joy.

Richard stood tall, his clothes dirty and slightly tattered from his travels, sword in scabbard, and shield strapped around his back. His physical appearance was haggard and rough, but above all, his eyes still sparkled with colorful radiance, the determination showed through the weariness.

Everything else but him and her was gone in an instant; the sun almost began to redirect its rays onto him, like a spotlight. She felt as though she had just stepped up from victory, like she had just been reborn; given another chance; even the urge to sing, or cry, or laugh. There was no better feeling she'd ever had than right there, for in his eyes, she noticed a reflection of her own- determination, hope, and love.

"Oh my god!" Chloe's energy renewed, she broke into a run for Richard, throwing herself at him like he was a comfy mattress full of books at the end of a hard day.

He met her with a tight hold, bracing her against him like a stuffed animal. He pressed his hand down on her back, feeling the silk in her hair, while the other kept itself on the small of her back, where he was sure she would stay close.

"What kept you?" Chloe asked, breathless in her excitement.

"Hey, you know I could never stay away from you forever," Richard said with a chuckle. "You're the most powerful Proverb, so, it's not like there's a good fight without you."

"Well, not without you either," Chloe added. "Our powers combined can go beyond anything evil sorcerers have ever attempted."

Richard shook his head and pulled Chloe closer, and she gasped with the suddenness. "Thank god you were _here_ of all places," he said, pushing some hair from her face with his hand. "The adventure section is more dangerous than I remember"- he chuckled uncomfortably- "if not the worst."

Chloe smiled. "But you made it through, didn't you? And now, we are here at last!"

There was a brief silence, before, tenderly, Richard put a hand on Chloe's cheek. He stroked it with his thumb, his insides fluttering furiously with this new intimacy. But suddenly, all the toils and hardships of the journey evaporated into thin air with just a glance into those green eyes, glittering with the sunlight and a reflection of strong love.

Chloe's hands began to take on a life of their own, slowly reaching up through Richard's arms and around his neck, where they stayed. She rested her head on his shoulder, taking in the comfort of his arms' embrace, making up for all the lost times they were apart. She wanted to stay there for good; to feel so completely safe and warm- to keep him in her reach.

Then Richard took Chloe by her shoulders and pulled her away so that they were facing each other again.

"Stay very still," he told her.

Holding her, he began, bit by bit, to lean his face closer to hers. Chloe flinched backward as she realized what was happening, but, upon that epiphany, beat Richard to it. She pressed her lips to his, but gently, like touching butterfly's wings. All over, she felt light as air itself, breathless, as the sun warmed the two of them, surrounded in a little haven where there was only them. Richard felt the radiation of Chloe's magic, the warmth turning her into an angel that could wrap him in her cozy spell forevermore. Chloe could feel, beneath her own, Richard's heart skip many beats in their dual magic, while she held his face in her hands, tracing the tiny wounds beneath her fingertips.

Richard pulled his lips away, but kept his hands on the small of Chloe's back. She seemed disappointed that the kiss couldn't go on longer, but she smiled nonetheless.

"Wow," Chloe said, giggling shortly.

Richard merely looked at her, a tad dazed. He felt his heart slamming his chest, just staring inside the green of Chloe's eyes. In all honesty, he never thought that he would feel something so wonderful- nor tasting the lips of a girl he felt so deeply connected to. Something inside of him was shouting for him to kiss her again, but he didn't lean his face towards her; it was probably better to just keep her own dazed expression in sight. She seemed to think the same thing.

But then, just behind Chloe's face, he spotted something shiny and green, hopping through the grass with gentle, steady movements. Large, colorful eyes looked up at him, a tiny croak escaping the creature's throat.

"Oh, hey," Richard said, moving to bend towards the little frog on the ground. "You Chloe's little friend?"

The frog blinked up at Richard, and then proceeded to stand on his hind legs just like a human. He moved his arm in a flourish while he bowed to the grass. "A little friend, naturally, but now, I find myself in the presence of her precious one. Prince Ryland- at your service."

"Richard Tyler," Richard said, reaching out his hand to Ryland, who lifted his own webby hand for a shake.

All the while, Richard found his eyes wandering around the garden. He took in the poor conditions of the flowers and trees speckling the perimeter, but was surprised to see a patch of green trees, with flowers behind them.

Then, when he looked to Chloe's side, another realization came to him.

"Chloe, what happened to Alice?" he asked, pointing to the empty space beside her.

Chloe averted her gaze to Richard, and she released a sharp gasp, her eyes enlarging in her skull. "Oh, no," she whispered, "I lost her when we boarded the ferry. Just after you fell off the gangplank, I let go of her, and, well, I didn't see her afterwards." She shuddered, remembering the pandemonium and terror on the ferry, and now shame that she didn't try harder to find Alice. Their poor little friend was probably lost anywhere in the library by now, and all alone. Remembering how much Alice had come to depend on them, Chloe felt her eyes sting, and her shoulders slumping.

For a moment, Richard could feel Chloe's inner deflation, and then, inside of himself. He didn't like thinking that he and Chloe could be responsible for anything bad that could happen to Alice, and especially that she was without protection.

"I promised her…" Richard found himself whispering.

With an unexpected grunt, Chloe quickly straightened herself, sweeping her fallen hair from her eyes. "Well, we cannot expect Alice to straighten out her own story. We'll just have to get to the rotunda, and settle it there with the villains!"

The power of Chloe's statement brought butterflies to Richard's stomach. This was it. It was finally time to return to the center of the library, and end it.

"Then what are we just standing here for?" Ryland said, hopping excitedly into Chloe's open hand. "We should journey there this instant!"

"I know what to do," Richard said, pointing at an empty space by the trees. "_The Wizard of Oz books, the magic flying Gump_!"

In a second, there materialized a strange contraption, one that made Ryland gasp with awe, and almost fall from Chloe's hand. Two old fashioned couches were tied together, making a large enclosed seat, where, on either side, two great and thick palm leaves sprouted. At the head of the contraption, was an elk's head, his face speckled with billy goat-like whiskers. From behind the two couches, a broom waved, its twigs snapping gently, moving about just like a tail. The elk, who had previously been like a stuffed bust, opened its eyes, and looked at the group with astonishment.

"Hello," it said, its voice squeaky. "What a surprise to see you all here."

"And another surprise to see _you_," Ryland replied, pointing his webbed hand at the Gump.

"Can you fly us somewhere, if we can tell you where?" Chloe asked, stepping forth.

The Gump nodded its head. "Of course. I know who you are; I'd know that red hair anywhere. You're the Proverbs!"

"Yes," Chloe answered, climbing into the seat; she gestured for Richard to climb aboard as well. "Has the word been spreading about us?"

"More than you can hope to believe," the Gump said. "All the good people of the Pagemaster's kingdom are gathering to support you all against the bad and evil. I hope you appreciate that."

Chloe nodded. "Yes. Come on, we don't have much time to lose. Let's go!"

Then, the palm leaves of the Gump started to flap furiously, stirring the grass and weeds, slowly taking to the sky. Chloe removed her magic compass from her pocket, and, following the needle's point, directed the Gump to fly as they all disappeared from sight of the secret gardens.


	15. Back to the Rotunda

_**Chapter 15**_

The Gump was a faithful helper to the group, and a much faster flyer than even Chloe expected. At the speed with which the great palm wings were flapping, it was difficult to distinguish which stories they were flying over. Not that it mattered much to either Richard or Chloe; they were finally going back to the rotunda, where surely they could quickly carry out their duties to the Pagemaster against the villains, and then go back home. But once Richard contemplated the thought, he felt it'd be kind of strange not being able to bring books to life; he bet that Chloe would be sad to not manipulate imaginative forces the next time someone told her she was a weirdo.

For every minute of their flight, neither Richard nor Chloe spoke many words. Even Ryland was pretty quiet, while the Gump went on and on about how thousands of fiction heroes were starting to congregate within the rotunda, preparing for the great battle that many were anticipating. Accordingly, if the Proverbs returned on time, it would be the first time in centuries that they, and the Pagemaster, would join forces and fight for the order of the library. And so every hero and heroine from each section was polishing their armor, sharpening their blades, and continually swearing their allegiance to the Pagemaster and all his associates in the Binding Order. For is all worked out, there would be a new pair of saviors on the Pagemaster's team…

The more the Gump spoke of the coming fight, the more Richard found himself watching the ground blurring by below them. He wondered if maybe all the cottages and castles and such were empty- that their good inhabitants were already in the rotunda, bearing swords and bows to defend their side of fiction. It was suddenly peculiar to think that soon they would really be fighting. Richard had spent so long journeying through the library, he had difficulty believing that the climax was coming for real. If he and Chloe fulfilled their purpose in coming to the library, then everything would all be over.

But, what if they didn't? After all that they had worked for- in braving strange and unusual forces, coming face-to-face with death, and losing one another twice- was it still possible for the villains to win in the end? Of course, all the villains knew that the Proverbs were back, and that they were powerful people. Richard knew first-hand that there would be villains who would fight to their death to destroy either him or Chloe, and that they could easily rein in more people in their goal. The idea of fighting to protect not only his own life, but Chloe's life and the well-being of all of fiction, sent chills shaking in Richard's limbs, and he shivered briefly.

Hopefully, he could always keep Chloe by his side in the fighting…

"We're almost there, friends," the Gump's high voice spoke up, and Chloe and Ryland dashed to the very front of the seat. Shaking her hair from her face, Chloe shot her finger ecstatically towards the horizon.

In the instant, Richard felt a sharp puff of air shake his body. As fast as the air had whooshed across his skin, the scenery changed.

In the near distance, a colorful city- surrounded by a bright green jungle, adjacent to an enormous valley and a vast ocean- stuck out amongst the rocky terrain. The tall towers of a castle in the very center sparkled in the high sun, and just slightly, Richard could make out the etchings of books into the towers' sides.

There had never been a lovelier- or more frightening- sight.

…

The Gump landed with a thump outside the castle, its palm leaf wings folding slowly into the two couches, quivering with the trip. Nonetheless, the elk head still thanked them for a pleasant trip, and bowed respectfully while its passengers touched the ground.

"The Proverbs have returned!"

Both Richard and Chloe gasped with the loud voice that rang out in the air, jumping back into the Gump, who in turn yelped.

A trumpet fanfare sang straight after the voice, and like puppets on a stage, people were poking out of the castle windows and any nearby vicinity. Their faces appeared excited one second, and the next they were gone, while the strange silence prolonged.

Suddenly, there was uproar of noise as every face appeared again, clapping their hands and cheering like they were watching a holiday parade, rather than two surprised teenagers that stayed in place, collapsed in shock against the Gump. The castle looked like a moving picture as thousands of pairs of hands clapped outside the windows, whooping and yelling.

Richard and Chloe didn't know how to react. This was all such a shock, and they were both so glad to be back, that they just watched while more and more onlookers yelled and clapped their hands. Some of them started to emerge from their hiding places, racing towards the Proverbs like they had crossed the finish line to the winning race. It was unbelievable; the shouting and cheering drowned out even their own thoughts, and all of a sudden, a little halo of fairy dust was cast all around the space as a tiny speck of pink light zoomed through the air. It was followed by another of yellow, then black, and then whole other colors of magical sparks, raining down on the reveling like sparkly confetti.

While Chloe reached out a hand to collect the dust in her hands, she was surprised to see a little red-headed woman in a pink dress with flowers in her hair fly up. She had such a wide smile that she must have been seeing a miracle unfolding.

Richard knew that pink dress and glowing red hair anywhere.

"Peaseblossom!" Richard looked on at the blossom-colored fairy, not knowing whether he should suffocate her in a hug, or just stare at her, seeing and knowing that she had survived the battle at the tower.

In turn, Peaseblossom laid eyes on Richard, and her expression also went wide with unsuppressed joy, her bright, large eyes throwing happy sparkles into Richard's face. The pink halo of magic surrounding her head enlarged, tingling with almost electrical energy, while her face turned a bright rose-red.

Richard expected her to break out in an almost hysterical Shakespearian speech describing her eternal gratefulness that her friend was alive. She opened her mouth to expose her gleaming teeth, but instead, she threw herself forward to Richard's face. Touching her tiny hands to his cheek, she leaned in and gently pecked his skin with her lips, feeling like the soft brush of a butterfly's wing. Richard couldn't help but chuckle when Peaseblossom hovered before him, her face now scarlet, and her eyes wet.

"Mine eyes hath never seen so gay a sight!" she finally sang out. "My dearest lord hath seen the light of day after all. But, soft. What lady do I see? It is the lady Chloe, and the sun of her beauty still shines upon this day! Oh, joy!"

"It's good to see you too, Peaseblossom," Chloe said, smiling sweetly, while the fairy also laid a little kiss on her cheek.

"Ay, but we must not make waste out of precious, time. Make with all haste!" the little fairy quickly said. "The world hath seen your homecoming, but the Pagemaster doth not know of your sight as of yet. The truth must be shed, to know the fighting must commence!"

Before Richard or Chloe could question her, Peaseblossom gestured wildly for them to follow her, and they were pushed along by Mustardseed, Cobweb, and the other nameless fairies. The cheering crowds parted while the two Proverbs were led away, many of the onlookers bowing or curtsying to them, although neither Richard nor Chloe paid much attention. It was still too hard to believe that they were finally back to the rotunda- it was almost like coming home again after all that happened.

All the way to the Pagemaster's magical headquarters, Peaseblossom and the fairies led them. Even at the doors to the enormous throne room, there was a great crowd of people cheering and screaming ecstatically while Richard and Chloe approached. But when they did, the crowd broke apart just like outside, and the huge emblem on the door showed itself. The intertwining of vines and snakes, with an open book amidst the chaotic engraving, stuck out against the dark wood, towering over everyone like a strong country flag. Both Richard and Chloe peered for a long time at the symbol, letting the distant memories of seeing it- back before they knew that they even were Proverbs- sink in, before the doors parted, the symbol broke in half while the doorway opened.

Straight ahead of them, on the grand throne surrounded by Pages, between the walls carved to look like the spines of books, stood the wizened old Pagemaster, who stood quickly upon seeing his comrades at the door, making the book pages of his robes glitter.

For a long minute, from opposite ends of the long carpet, they stared at each other. Richard felt almost as though it had been another six years since he had seen that face, while Chloe's heart hammered excitedly like a bongo. Once more, it felt like they had traveled a long way just to see their kindly friend again, to watch while his wise eyes glowed, and his arms slowly outstretched to welcome them back home.

Even with the gesture given, it was still quiet as a church, with the Pages and miscellaneous nobles watching for their master and the long-lost Proverbs to meet for another time.

Finally, the Pagemaster's mouth, hidden by his long white beard, opened.

"Come to me, my comrades." His voice was low and warm.

Not wasting a bit of time, Richard and Chloe started down the carpet, their steps increasing the closer that they got to the Pagemaster's throne. The farther they walked, the wider the Pagemaster's overjoyed smile became, and the brighter his eyes shown. The mix of relief and surprise in both Proverbs' eyes mirrored the Pagemaster's almost exactly, and it took much of Chloe's concentration to not break into a run for the throne, like a little girl at the airport while she runs to her grandfather. Richard couldn't quite believe it, but he was almost thinking the same thing.

In the next moments, Richard, Chloe, and the Pagemaster faced each other, neither side knowing quite how to express their relief at this reunion. Still they kept their joyful expressions- all seeming to shine throughout the room, before Chloe finally stepped forth.

And she wrapped her arms around the Pagemaster's torso, making the pages in his robes glitter and crinkle, creating music once again. In her excitement at being back, there was not a lovelier sound right then.

The Pagemaster patted Chloe's back, grinning down at her. "Lady Chloe"- he said the name like Richard imagined Mr. Dewey would have said to her- "it only feels like we've just met."

"Really? It seems like it's been an eternity," Chloe said, not looking up.

The Pagemaster looked between her and Richard, pride gleaming in his eyes. "Then, again, perhaps it has. Still, I can say nothing, except that I am glad to see the both of you back again. Surviving the dangers of the sections is no easy feat, even for a young man and woman with extraordinary abilities."

Richard laughed. "Yeah, you can say that again. We lost each other twice, and got tossed around like it was nobody's business, and-"

"You were also tossed and squashed," the Pagemaster interjected. "But I do hope you were not frightened to death of braving my kingdom to seek the answer to those shadow creatures." The Pagemaster chuckled, while Richard gave him a look.

"That's exactly what you said to me after your previous journey," the Pagemaster explained. "Dear boy, you learned so much last time. I hope this was the same experience for you."

Richard nodded his head. In fact, now that he thought of it, he could remember every word he had spit in the Pagemaster's face after having been through the library once. The first time it had been frightening. But this journey had been no exception, and if the Pagemaster thought that was a joke, he was pretty well mistaken. "You could say it was," Richard finally said.

"Needless to say, I'm proud," the Pagemaster said. "It's not only me who rejoices in seeing you both here. Every hero in the library sings their praises to this day. It marks the beginning of the end of this war."

"The final battle is really that close, now?" Chloe asked, breaking out of her hug.

"We shall see, my child," the Pagemaster replied. "But now, we should commence to a conference, and discuss our next move. For now that our two best assets have come back, it is more likely that word shall spread to the villains that you have surely conquered."

"We did fight a lot of villains," Richard said. "You know about the fight that broke out in the horror section, right?"

"Word got back to me soon enough, I assure you," the Pagemaster replied. "Sir Hugo lived to tell me, and he also managed to bring along a few helpers in the meantime. Although, I'm afraid now that most villains have come to know of your existence, and that you have conquered so many of them, they won't be willing to wait in destroying you. That is why we must be sure that we have as many helpers as we can find, and that the both of you are willing to fight in a real war that may mean the difference between the life, and the death, of both worlds."


	16. Gathering the Allies

_**Chapter 16**_

Moments later, when the crowd had dispersed from the halls, and the news had finally settled that the Proverbs had returned alive from their adventures, Richard, Chloe, the Pagemaster, and Sir Hugo had settled into a long table, courtesy of the Pagemaster's magic robe pages. He sat at the head, with Richard and Chloe on either side. Sir Hugo sat next to Richard, with Jip- barking and panting so much with excitement that Sir Hugo had to tell him to lay down- beside his chair. In the beginning they were the only ones there, although the Pagemaster told them they were expecting more.

Indeed, when they had been sitting there for barely five minutes, the doors parted again, and another crowd waited, led by a robust man in a red-and-gold captain's uniform. At his side, he carried a scabbard holding a sword, and a golden sash was slung over his chest. His hair was sleek and dark, although it flecked grey, framing his hawk-like eyes.

"General Spinet." The Pagemaster stood up, and greeted the tall, round man, who bowed in turn.

"Your High Pageness," the general said, while his followers bowed altogether. "You called for me; and some of your most important followers?"

The Pagemaster moved to gesture towards the chairs all along the table. "Come and sit down, all of you."

Following the Pagemaster's orders, General Spinet took his seat, and one by one, Richard and Chloe could see who had showed up.

Behind Spinet, came Robin Hood, in his usual forest-green and brown, his bow slung over his back; Peaseblossom and her fairy companions, followed by King Oberon and Queen Titania, who, despite the grimaces they exchanged, looked proud to be in the Pagemaster's presence. The black cat slunk after, directing a proud expression at Chloe with his bright blue eyes. With dirty boots and raggedy clothing, Candy, George, and the other farmhands from the Salinas Valley trudged in, accompanied by a young man whom neither of the Proverbs recognized. He gave Chloe a bright smile before he sat down, giving no other indication as to who he was.

Once everyone had surrounded the table, the Pagemaster stood up again, holding his hands up high. As if he had clapped very loudly, everyone gave him their undivided attention, including Richard and Chloe.

"Welcome. It's a pleasure seeing you together during such dreadful times," he said.

"For the good of our higher ruler, 'tis the least we could come to do," Titania stated, in her high, musical voice.

"Thank you, my queen," the Pagemaster said. "Now, I assume you are aware of why I've selected you to be here?"

"Tha', is 'cause we've become personally acquainted wi' the Proverbs," Candy piped up.

"And because we have seen what special, extraordinary things they can do with their powers," the cat added.

"Precisely," said the Pagemaster. "And it is for that matter in particular, that I'm requesting each and every one of you, to be at the front line with Richard and Chloe. We will need all the help we can get, with the use of your special talents."

Robin Hood took off his hat and bowed his head. "It's already done, my Pagemaster," he said. "We have all pledged our everlasting allegiance to the lord and lady."

"Aye," said the fairies altogether, Peaseblossom's voice standing out among them. "Small in size may we be, but the enemy blade is no such match."

"And, if I may be so bold," Oberon said in his low, booming voice. "'Tis not out of arrogance I speak, but my servants' magical talent- and I, and my queen wife besides- very well have the capability to break morale of those brutes, should any of them cross our ways!" He puffed out his chest, and snapped his fingers to create a dangerous spark of magic, leaving some white smoke to drift away.

"I'll lead my Merry Men into the fray with our bows and arrows," Robin Hood suggested, touching his bow and quiver.

The cat jumped up to the table before anyone else could speak, flicking and curling its tail somewhat proudly. "While I'd prefer not to fight, I can't say I will throw away my pledge to our protectors." It flexed its long claws, and swiped them in a harsh circle; much to the surprise of even the Pagemaster, there was a _shing! _in the air as if it were a sword, and not the cat's claw. It was a pretty impressive sound, so it left no doubt in anyone's mind about the cat's part in the fighting.

All eyes turned to Candy and George and the other farmhands.

"Well, I 'ave no big idea o' the weapons we could put t' use," Candy spoke up. "Unless…unless, er…we got some of those guns, like on th' farm. I dunno. 'Course, we don' know how t' handle one o' your swords an' stuff…" He scrunched his wrinkled face in deep thought, and the farmhands didn't hesitate to follow.

Spinet's small eyes gleamed, and he stood from his chair. "Perhaps this would be an opportune time for you rough gentlemen. You see, in my spare time, I've been working with some of the best Pages to make a weapon that could aid us just as much as any of our choice fighting tools. If I may say so myself, I think it's a pretty impressive piece of work."

"Well, by all means, show it to us," the Pagemaster stated, excitement hidden beneath his calm demeanor.

"Will you get it for His High Pageness?" General Spinet asked to the Page standing at the door, and he dashed off, coming back no more than ten seconds later with an object that strangely resembled a metal plunger, about the length of someone's arm. Richard's face went lopsided, wondering what on earth Spinet could do with such a strange thing- maybe suction-cup someone to death?

"Let me demonstrate," Spinet said, kindly taking the red-and-gold colored contraption from the Page. "Unfortunately, I haven't come up with a name for this weapon, but you can all rest assured that it is as powerful as anything." He moved his finger toward a latch on one end.

Oberon stood up excitedly, without waiting for Spinet to carry out his demonstration. "Mayhap I enchant them," he said. "Single a villain's touch to thy artillery, and certain death awaits!"

Titania grabbed her husband's arm, shoving him back into his seat. "No, dearest husband," she hissed. "Never a day will I allow death for such silly pleasure."

"No such thing as pleasure here," Oberon said. "The thriving matter is merely victory for the hands of our Pagemaster."

Spinet grinned. "Not such a terrible idea, Majesty, but it might be too late to enchant all of our ammunition with deadly magic. As far as we know the villains have mobilized as much as we have…"

Oberon looked defeated; Titania just grinned.

"But…when _will_ we fight?" Jip spoke up, leaping onto the table to see the Pagemaster better. "It would seem that we are all ready for it, but _when_ will we meet our match?" He twitched his nose excitedly, panting like he was ready to march onto a battlefield at that instant.

"The way I see it, we ought to keep ourselves on the battlefield until they show up," said the unrecognizable young man from down the table. "If the villains are so ready to fight us as soon as they can, they know where we shall be. And if we are set for a great battle, then I say, why not begin tomorrow?"

Chloe couldn't stop the next word from coming out. "Ryland!"

"Yes, it's me, my good lady," he said. "Through the magic of our Pagemaster, I was returned to my rightful form, so that I may fight alongside the Proverbs for the order of all we hold dearest. I've pledged my service to the Binding Order, and I don't intend to give up until those who have done us wrong are begging for our mercy."

"Here, here!" shouted everyone at the table.

"Not a terrible suggestion, Prince Ryland," the Pagemaster said. "But first, I feel I must know who is leading the villains?"

"We know who it is," Richard said. "It's Professor Moriarty, and Count Dracula. They've been keeping armies of the red wizards and the shadow creatures that kidnapped Chloe."

"Not to mention they led the attack against us at the battle in the horror section," Sir Hugo said.

The Pagemaster was silent for a moment. "Not surprising," he said. "But should we commence the battling in the daytime, then the Count cannot fight. He cannot show himself to the sunlight."

"Then the advantage might be taken," Sir Hugo said. "A criminal mastermind with no magical power may not be an effective leader."

"But the red wizards and the shadow creatures will surely listen to him," Chloe stated. "They may make him a hundred times more powerful than he is normally."

"What do we do then?" Jip wanted to know.

"Well, as long as we still have clear heads and good willpower, we can do it no problem," Richard said. "That's what my baseball coach always tells us before we play a game."

"Well, this ain't baseball, kid," George said. "It's war- life or death for our side o' this world. An' yours too!"

"We're not going to let anything bad happen!" Richard said, looking directly at George. "I think we know what we're doing, me and Chloe. We're the Proverbs, besides. So long as we can stick together by you guys, nothing can stop us! I have confidence in every single one of you."

The cat purred loudly. "Good to know that we can be entrusted with the fate of our world," he said softly.

Then, there came a low hissing sound from not too far off, followed by a harsh whooshing. All eyes looked around the room for the source of the noise, the Pagemaster grabbing his staff, and the Proverbs opening their magical minds. Chloe could hear the cat hiss, and Jip start to bark.

Swiftly, emerging from out of nowhere, a dark, inky shadow, which shifted and morphed like a water drop, shot through the air. Titania yelped as she lifted her hands to cast a spell, while Oberon left in her path. Spinet lifted his invention like a gun, closing one eye to aim, and Robin Hood readied his bow.

Richard didn't even have to prompt Chloe. She closed her eyes, ready to flex her mind- tell the shadow creature to go away…

"_Listen to me, Proverbs," _said a voice.

All movement ceased when they heard the shadow creature start to speak, while it still hovered in the air.

"_I come with news from one Professor James Moriarty, and one Count Dracula. They say that they will not wait to play around with you all no longer. They have gathered all their comrades, and have readily prepared them to fight. There is no more time left to wait. They eagerly await for the Pagemaster, and his own army, to meet them in the rotunda for the next stage of this war. Prepare your Proverbs as best you can…Your High Pageness…especially the one with the imagination. Her grandfather may have been the Prince, but her kind shall pay for destroying him. No remorse will be felt for killing her, or her hero friend. He may have visited once before, but that makes no difference. No matter how many heroes you may gather, we will still conquer you. We would wish you luck, but it's much easier to walk away. Farewell…for now."_

The shadow creature vanished into thin air.

No one in the room spoke, not even the Pagemaster. Everyone remained in position, still holding their weapons. It was almost like they expected the villains' army to come crashing through the doors at any moment, though a few more minutes went by without spoken words.

Gulping, Richard reached for Chloe's hand, and grasped it tightly. "I guess there's no use trying to soften the situation, Chloe," he said. "They will come for us, and they're not going to wait." He sighed deeply, the resolution pouring like cold honey through him, while he pecked a kiss on her lips.

"Godspeed, Chloe." 


	17. Clash in the Valley

_**Chapter 17**_

From across their tent, Richard and Chloe could smell the poison drifting off of the projectiles- like a runner's shoe in the middle of summer with rotten eggs mashed into the mix- certainly not pleasant.

Together, with the rest of the Binding Order, the two Proverbs prepared their armor, sparking gold and silvery white in the promising sunlight from outside. Richard was covered from his shoulders to his feet in golden armor, while at his side, he clasped his sword in a bejeweled, velvet scabbard; and on the other, he held a large and heavy helmet, also golden, with an elaborate engraving of the emblem on the Pagemaster's door.

Chloe's armor was a tad less elaborate, looking like a well-prepared biker with knee, shoulder, and elbow pads all made of silver, with two ornate breastplates that extended to her waistline. Hanging over the back of her loose white dress, her hair was pulled back into a low ponytail in a tight white ribbon. And strapped over her shoulder was her quiver, with the bow tucked among the arrows, clanking as she moved to tighten her armor and straighten her skirts.

After a while, Richard and Chloe had their weapons- polished and tweaked to be like new- listening to General Spinet and Sir Hugo calling the soldiers in their tent to attention.

"Good work, gentlemen!" Spinet said, greeting them. "The time has come- there is no turning. We all know what we must do?"

Every soldier raised his sword or lethal book weapon, and saluted as one. "Victory!" they all cried together.

"Very good, men! We have assembled, and thus, defeat must ring in the minds of the horrid fiends on the other side of the valley. We are going out. Long live the Pagemaster!"

"Long live the Pagemaster!" the other soldiers cried out repeatedly.

Both Richard and Chloe swallowed hard while they started to follow the other soldiers out of the tent. They all stepped back, to allow the two Proverbs to take the lead alongside Spinet, Sir Hugo, and Robin Hood. Standing together, they led their army away from the campsite, while the soldiers marched in sync with each other, their steps making a soft crunching on the flimsy grass of the dense jungle. They stared right ahead, keeping straight faces; for Richard and Chloe, not so much. Chloe forced deep breaths into her throat, her excitement and anxiousness fluctuating like the_ chink-chank _of their armor. Richard did the same, wobbling nervously on his feet, sometimes brushing against the hard shoulder pads Chloe wore, so that she had to push him back in line with her free hand.

Both Proverbs were so lost in thought however, that they nearly stumbled over the edge of the cliff the army now stood at. Down below them was the vast field, surrounded by the clusters of book-sprouting trees and flowers. The tall weeds tumbled to and fro in the breeze, and not a villain soldier in sight.

Richard glanced all around, observing the scene. "They can't possibly not show up," he said, half to himself.

"You heard what the shadow creature informed us of, boy," Sir Hugo answered him. "We will fight on this day. I believe both sides of the kingdom have had it with all this willy-nilly fighting."

"Could not agree more," Ryland said, stamping his bow against the ground.

"Look!"

Richard turned away from Sir Hugo to see where Chloe was pointing.

Over the edge of the valley, like a ship on the horizon, came a roaring of battle cries. A new army- in dark ominous blue- rushed forward like a great tsunami, waving swords and shields high in the air, crying out loudly enough that Richard couldn't hear himself whisper "They've come…"

At the head of the great expanse of soldiers, Moriarty stood atop a great horse, holding a sword bigger than he was tall. His armor had sharp spikes jutting out from the padding, with a large black smudge on the side of his helmet, where the Pagemaster's emblem should have been.

Then on either side of Richard, he noticed universal movement as soldier after soldier pulled down their helmets, brandished their swords, and stood stick-straight in their places. Richard and Chloe followed the soldiers, putting on their helmets, and pulling out their weapons, poised to attack. They both turned their heads, waiting for General Spinet. With his helmet mask over his face, he raised his sword out towards the field. At his signal, the entire front line- Robin Hood, Oberon, Titania, the fairies, the cat, the farmhands, and Jip- raised their own weapons to the sky, keeping silent.

Chloe aimed her bow at the army below, pointed directly at Moriarty. Richard raised his sword out furthest towards the field, and at this signal, the whole army cried out towards the villains, as though daring them to come closer.

Finally, Richard took a deep breath, and looked to Chloe, then the valley of war below.

"Go!" they screamed out together.

"Hail the Pagemaster! Hail the fallen Proverb!" The rest of their army chanted those words while they pumped their weapons above their heads.

Chloe shut her eyes. A rumbling sounded from within the ledge as an explosive pop caused the cliff to tumble downward, and form a long ramp into the battlefield. It settled deep into the earth, battering the ground before the Pagemaster's army charged down the ramp. Richard, Chloe, Sir Hugo, General Spinet, Ryland, and George leapt off the ledge and onto six flying carpets, while Oberon and Titania stayed aloft to cast defensive magic with the other fairies.

Cries were magnified in the surrounding valley when the armies clashed; swords clanged and drove together, echoing all around. The flying carpets made a wide circle around the battle, and their pilots fired down at the sea of bright red-and-gold, and dark blue. Chloe shot arrows one after the other, while Richard used the forces of _Stephen King's Firestarter _to make enormous fireballs fly from his hands, zipping like comets to the earth, with thunderous explosions that shook the whole valley. Meanwhile, the other flyers dashed through the air, swiping at the throats of their enemies, leaving them lying gruesomely on the ground.

Then Chloe stopped shooting her arrows, and directed her carpet to fly with Richard's. Under her control, little ice stalactites began to tumble beside the fireballs, turning and twirling around in flight to hit their exact targets.

Among the rubble and explosions, she spotted Moriarty. He was fighting with all his might, slashing anyone that came within a five-foot radius of him. He seemed a skilled fighter, but didn't have the flying power that the heroes had as they zigzagged around him, clashing swords and firing Spinet's book-blade weapons.

George touched his finger to a latch on his book-blade, and a tiny book the size of a quarter zipped out of the other end. The steel book flew like a bullet, slashing out sickle-shaped blades that twirled with intense velocity, zipping through wooden rods and iron helmets like they were toothpicks. When he fired again, the steel dome on the firing end broke apart, forming something like a flower, with seven separate pieces fanned out. The petal-like things were enormous, almost the size of an umbrella, and spun like helicopter propellers. A thick green gas started to come off the whirling petals, causing the villains nearby to cough and sputter, some even losing their consciousness.

The other farmhands were firing from their weapons as well, coating their paths in the dense fumes. Unfortunately, Moriarty was able to deflect each projectile, twirling his sword like a baton, while some of the red wizards stepped into his path to protect him!

Taking a breath, Chloe prepared to attack- make him pay one more time for what misery he and Dracula caused her. She shut her eyes and imagined, with the greatest capacity of her mind, a massive boulder- one that had spikes, covered in hot flames, and sharp edges that could cut even stone. She stood on her knees, and hurled her hand down towards Moriarty, catching herself before she nearly fell off her carpet. But when she was so sure the boulder would fall on him, it exploded into a million pieces, several of them coming back towards her and Richard.

With a quick reflex, a shield of energy surrounded the two Proverbs, deflecting the flying rocks. Chloe stood up, as did Richard, looking down at the fighting. She glared deeply when she noticed that the team of red wizards in front of Moriarty had multiplied in the face of her attack.

Richard turned to Chloe. "We have to go lower," he said, swiftly. "We have a better target if we can be up close!" But then his eyes darted away, clearly afraid of what he had just proposed.

"Not if we combine our powers and stay behind my shield," Chloe added.

Richard gripped his weapon tighter while their carpets soared downward into the fighting. From her hands, Chloe shot rays of electricity, sending shocks through any blue-armored soldier in their way. Beside her, Richard hurled fireballs, then boulders, alternating as their carpets zipped in all directions. It was hard to hold on and keep their powers focused, but they managed to cover nearly the entire battlefield before Moriarty's voice crossed their ears again.

"Give up! Give up the battle!" he cried after them. "We will conquer the humans. Your homes will be vanquished, and so shall the rest of the wretched, incompetent creatures that murdered…"

"_SHUT UP!_" Chloe screamed as she swerved her carpet around. She stood up, unsheathed a dagger and leapt from the carpet. Throwing herself downward, she twirled in the air and prepared to plunge her dagger into Moriarty's throat! The dastardly man was stupid to think he could conquer humanity-so very, very WRONG! She didn't care if he was a literary character that might disappear altogether if he was killed; not even if his stories vanished from history because of it- so long as he would never say another word of her grandfather!

She was on top of him, she was sure. But before she could tap her dagger's blade to his throat, she was thrown aside by an unstoppable force, as though pushed by a glass door. Slammed to the ground, she struggled to regain her footing through all the fighting around her, finally managing it, but was knocked down once more by the same kind of force.

"You want to embarrass me," a low, innocent voice whispered. Chloe's heart hammered in her chest, as a chunky girl in a blood-drenched dress stepped out from the fray.

"No! No!" Chloe pleaded. "No, Carrie! Carrie, you don't want to do this!"

"I really believe I do," Carrie said in the same low, innocent monotone. "You're embarrassing us all in this war. Those other humans in the world killed the third Proverb. They don't deserve to go on."

"What did I try to tell you, Carrie?" Chloe said, although she could already sense the uselessness of her words. "If you have been treated poorly, just forget and forgive. You can do it!"

"You push me around too much," Carrie said, shaking her head. "What they did to me was immoral and bad. It was…was…sinful. Mama would have said that too."

"Forget them all," Chloe commanded. "You can change now if you will just hear me out. You won't get any better by fighting for evil. Just, please…"

"Stop it," Carrie snarled. She opened her eyes wide, and suddenly Chloe was thrown off her feet again, knocked against the side of the ramp. Carrie advanced upon Chloe, using her telekinesis to throw her victim around like a rag doll. Chloe kept her dagger clenched in her hand in case Carrie threw her towards Moriarty, but heart-stopping shocks continually seized her the more she tried to resist Carrie's power- like she was in the air after jumping off a swing and then falling back down again.

She was finally able to get back on her feet, after the strange sensations died away. Chloe was ready to throw herself back in, when she saw two flying carpets soaring away, with Carrie on the ground as if she had been brutally shoved. Then when the carpets swooped down a second time, a hand reached out, and plucked Chloe from the ground. Richard threw her behind him and steered the carpets back down for another blow.

"No, Richard, don't!" Chloe cried out.

"She tried to hurt you!" Richard said. "I won't let her do it again!"

"Let her go!" Chloe pleaded, tugging on Richard's sleeve. "Stop, we have to go back to Moriarty. He's the one who has to go!"

Richard didn't answer her, and instead flew towards the ground, noticing Carrie's bloody dress amid the soldiers whirling around her. Richard held his sword out as the carpets loomed closer, and Chloe sent a glowing ball of energy towards the body of red, just before Richard's blade could pierce her heart any further…

The carpets zipped a fast curve before turning around again. Chloe nearly lost her place, but looked back. Carrie was getting up again, pushing her hands against Chloe's energy bubble, just like a mime in an invisible box. She rapidly caused it to explode with her telekinesis, and snapped her gaze towards the flying carpets. For a second, Chloe's worried gaze met hers, and throughout the blurry moments that followed, she eyes never left the telekinetic girl.

Richard swooped lower for another attack on the villain soldiers. But then, a bright cloud of smoke and rock bits slowly penetrated the bubble, coming into Richard's and Chloe's vision- like one sees someone creeping up out of the corner of their eyes. A blinding light accompanied the rocks, confusing them for a moment-

-what could penetrate the energy bubble, and who could have caused that?

But without their even knowing it, their bodies were touching nothing beneath them but open air, free-falling in whatever direction they were going. In the explosions around them, up or down didn't mean anything…

The ground hit them like a punch to the face, slapping them silly against the flattened grass. Chloe's senses were blown out from the impact, pushed for a split second into unconsciousness.

She was thrown from it when she heard a familiar cry pierce the darkness of her fall. Slowly standing up, she saw Richard nearby, stumbling onto his feet. He was wincing, teetering while he held his arm, which was drenched with a dark maroon liquid, oozing through his white sleeve and onto his bleeding leg.

Like a lash to her face, the world was starting to slow…


	18. For the Last Time

_**Chapter 18**_

Desperately, Chloe shook her head, and looked around for whoever had caused Richard's fresh pain. She was met with a deep hatred when she saw _her_- smiling maniacally, the last ounce of her innocence gone forever.

Chloe lunged for Carrie, throwing her dagger at a flap of ripped, bloody fabric. The blade pierced the silk, pulling Carrie back with such force that she stumbled into the ramp behind-first. Chloe rushed up to her, encasing herself in a hard blanket of energy that weighed her down tremendously, and took the dagger from the earth, pointing it at Carrie's face.

"I should have known it!" Chloe shouted. "I should've known from the beginning that those powers of yours poisoned you! Well, then, should I do it, or should I fetch your monster of a mother to do it for me?"

"Mama?" Carrie asked, the evil fading for a second.

"Yes, 'Mama'!" Chloe crooned, her anger flowing from her like liquid fire. "But she's dead, and if you dare lay a telekinetic finger on Richard again, I swear to you that you'll meet the same _heart-stopping_ end!"

Carrie shivered for a moment, not daring to use her powers against Chloe. The dagger was there- the Proverb could kill her right then and there, finishing it all.

"Mama…Tommy…all of them." Carrie was whispering all this to herself, but Chloe could hear every word, thinking it was a diversion for when Carrie would try to kill her. But the telekinetic girl stood still, and the longer she did, the tighter Chloe clenched her dagger.

"You miss them, don't you?" Chloe finally asked.

Carrie nodded, bowing her head.

Taking a breath, Chloe relaxed her grip on her dagger, lowering it. "All right," she said. "I'll let you go. But one more touch of any of the soldiers, even with your powers, and you can use this for practice!" She pointed with her head to the dagger's sharp point.

Chloe didn't give Carrie's sorry face another glance before running away to find Richard; she was glad to be rid of Carrie's power, but she didn't think for very long. A villain's sword slashed at her, and she ducked into a little plateau beneath the ramp.

To Chloe's surprise, Richard lay in the farthest corner. His helmet was off, sword off to the side, and his hands on his wounds to stop the bleeding. Little streams of red gently ran along his hands, while he viciously bit his lip to keep from screaming out.

Chloe imagined for him some large bandages, and a tall glass of water. She held him still while he chugged down the cold liquid, but he gasped when he swallowed the last drop, grabbing Chloe by her shoulder. He pulled her to him and held her, but not lightly. It was as though the glorious feeling of his lips on her smooth hair would give him renewed strength, enough to make him last the rest of the battle- forever, even. She kissed him back, only glad that he had survived for this long without help.

"Chloe," Richard said, squeezing her. "Thank god you're alive."

"And I you," Chloe said, sitting back up. "But you won't last for much longer out there with those wounds. This is no ordinary cut you can get from a baseball mishap." She closed her eyes, and kept her hands in Richards to keep him calm, as she pictured the wounds healing- stitching back up by themselves to stop the bleeding. Richard grunted with unease, but Chloe just gripped his hands tighter. She was tense, dripping with sweat under her heavy armor, her immense hope for Richard making her shake enough to almost wet herself.

Richard shook Chloe on her shoulder to awaken her from her imaginative zone-out. Luckily, the bleeding had stopped, but the wounds were still gaping open.

"You'll be all right?" Chloe asked, quickly wrapping a bandage around each tiny laceration.

"I think so. Thank you, Chloe," Richard said, reaching for her. She leaned in too, and pressed her entire body against him; it felt so good to be near him like this, to see better that he was there to protect her like a faithful guardian. Well, seeing that he _was_ in fact her guardian…

"Take care of yourself out there," Richard said to Chloe while they headed out together.

"I can still die for you," she countered.

"Don't try too hard!" Richard said seriously. His eyes suddenly grew to dinner plates. "Wait, oh no! Chloe, look out behind you!"

Chloe took her dagger back into her palm immediately, but turned around to see Moriarty behind her.

"Hello, beautiful," he said, and, quickly as lightning, hit Chloe on the head. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and she fell to the ground, slipping back under the plateau.

Richard tore from his spot and lunged at Moriarty, crossing blades with him.

"You could have killed her!" he shouted, pushing the wicked villain away from him.

"I'm certain I already have," Moriarty sneered. "You are nothing here without her to protect you!"

"Oh? Really?" Richard said. He screamed inside his head, _The Odyssey, the power of the gods!_ and focused to bring the strength and bravery of each legendary Greek god into him. It coursed through his blood like rushing rivers, bringing him back to a kind of life he had never felt before. His Hercules-like strength consumed him, and suddenly, he pushed Moriarty away, the power throwing the villain a few good yards. He was back on his feet in seconds, coming back for a second blow.

Richard already had made a list of literary weapons ready in his head, so he called them out, one at a time.

_The Secret Garden, millions of garden pebbles!_

Thousands of pebbles came flying out of nowhere, pelting Moriarty right and left, and pecking the red wizards who once more came to their master's rescue. Still, they managed to deflect most of them, banging off of their blades sharply.

Richard ran through his list quickly, but decided that they all wouldn't be good enough to wound this enemy. He finally reached the end of his list, where his most fearsome weapon was.

_The Wizard of Oz, the twister!_

Richard braced himself, hoping the twister would be small enough to swallow up only Moriarty. But he hoped too late; it could only materialize as it was in its story- no matter how he could beg and plead for the twister to change size. If only he could…if only…

Richard kicked the ground violently, briefly hating how limited his powers were. If Chloe were only here, she would have whipped Moriarty away with a twister that could bend and break as she commanded…the battle could end more easily that way…

Richard climbed back under the plateau, covering Chloe with his cape, watching as the twister raged away, picking up soldier after soldier from the battlefield. At least Moriarty was gone, but Chloe still had to get up. The battle would surely be lost without her there.

"_Richard. Richard, you must go on. You will. Chloe shall be revived in due time…"_

Richard gasped when he heard that voice. The Pagemaster had found him, speaking to him through his mind. Thank god he was there- but why couldn't _he_ be there in person to wake Chloe with his magic powers? Even he should realize that Chloe would ensure the survival of the heroes.

"Why aren't you here?" Richard finally asked him. "We're going to lose without her. I mean, can't you wake her up with your powers? I…I don't know what to do."

Richard jumped when a wizened old man stepped into the plateau, crouching down to Richard's level inside. He uncovered Chloe and pushed some of her loose hair from her face, like a kind old grandfather would do. Richard's heart sped when he noticed the tender affection the Pagemaster gave to Chloe.

"Richard, my boy, you fought bravely just as you have with Chloe," the Pagemaster said. "You can be brave as she has been if you reach within yourself, and unleash what lies inside. Recall when you braved that dragon, and how you put aside everything, even your own life, to save your friends."

"That was six years ago," Richard said. "And besides, my powers are limited. I cannot defeat the villains alone. Chloe was there to help me, and so you see, she has to come back."

The Pagemaster laid a hand on Richard's shoulder and looked at him with his gentle, blazing eyes. "Richard, you and Chloe are Proverbs, and every Proverb is just as powerful as the next- some simply possess maximized ability. But don't you see- these abilities are merely additions to what you already can do. Back, six years ago, you had barely hatched this power, but you could fight that dragon as bravely as you could face a mouse with a sword in hand."

Richard shook his head, but the Pagemaster still responded calmly to the young warrior. "I brought you here for one purpose the very last time. You found the courage to face what you feared. Thus, you can do it again. You faced your dragon alone, and surely enough, if you braved half of the library alone, you can still face an army of mere soldiers- from the opposite side of my kingdom."

"You think so?" Richard wanted to know.

The Pagemaster nodded. "But my belief alone will never get you back out there to help end this war. You must hold that hard stone of faith inside yourself. True, you and Chloe fought well together, but her strength is nearly gone. You must be the one to swing the last sword, and restore this world to its former peace."

Richard's mind wandered away. He could suddenly remember it well- a mere ten-year-old, fighting a thousand-foot dragon with only a sword, shield, and helmet to protect him. And for the most part, he had succeeded, only when he used his head, and his courage, to escape the dragon. He hadn't even known that Chloe existed, and especially, he didn't have these special powers to help him. A normal human boy who before, couldn't lift a sword without trembling. But that boy was long gone. A warrior had since been born- a warrior who had fought through half the library with only his Proverb magic, and few allies. He had learned quite a bit more about this world, and such a journey hadn't been easy to survive. He bet Chloe had faced things ten times worse, but he couldn't fathom them. He could see this for sure- that she was lying unconscious on the floor, and couldn't join him.

There was nothing left to do but take sword in hand, and face the dragon once more- for the last time.

He stood up.

The Pagemaster led Richard out into the sun, the both of them brandishing their weapons bravely, and Richard feeling his determination singing in his heart loud and clear, while Chloe flashed through his mind. Now was the time.

"Look who has returned!"

Richard jumped. Moriarty had survived the twister!

"What the…?" Richard sputtered.

"What have I told you and the little girl too many times already?" Moriarty asked. "Your powers are no match for…oh, my goodness, you brought _him _with you."

"That's the Pagemaster, to you!" Richard said.

"Professor James Moriarty," the Pagemaster acknowledged him.

"Oh, my Pagemaster," Moriarty said. "I had no idea you would return to this battle."

"I did, but not to fight to destroy your half of my kingdom," he said. "Merely to see that my best soldier, Richard Tyler, could ensure his survival in this war."

"Pep-talking with the oaf who believes he's a hero simply for saving a damsel in distress?" Moriarty asked.

"A warrior Proverb," Richard corrected. "Who has good skill in handling a bow, unlike some."

"Are you questioning my weaponry skills?" Moriarty wondered aloud, tensing in the hand that held his bloody weapon.

"No. I'm simply stating that Chloe wasn't afraid of you. And neither am I."

"I'll change that, because you're going to take my blade. Like a dead man!" Moriarty lunged right at Richard, clanging swords, and Richard re-imagined his command to the Greek gods, his strength coming back to him quickly. He pushed away Moriarty, and brought his sword down quickly on him.

Then, something extraordinary happened.

Richard's blade came down so hard on Moriarty's own weapon that when they clashed, there was an explosion of color and light, tiny sparkling balls of magic flying out in such a gush Richard could be standing in the center of a maelstrom.

There was a rush of wind and Richard was nearly thrown off his feet, but he plunged his sword further into the light, hoping and waiting to finish off the dastardly villain. He gave a shout before shoving his sword in one last time, and along with his own, he heard the sounds of another blade piercing into the light.

The sounds of the battle whooshed and whirled all around Richard, seeming to melt into one giant mash of sound before suddenly, a great darkness took Richard, and he fell into it, never climbing back up for the longest of time.


	19. Together Again

_**Chapter 19**_

A void of darkness overtook Richard, wrapping him in warmth, but he could not think or do anything of that sort. He seemed to float like a ghost through the void, where there was nothing else- absolutely nothing but his deathly spirit.

Suddenly, the quiet was stirred by a slit of light cutting through the black, opening up further like a door until sounds, sights, and smells came flooding back to Richard.

"Come on, Rich. You can wake up now. Carefully, now."

The world rushed back to Richard as his eyes opened to the golden ceilings of the bedroom he and Chloe shared before any part of their journey had begun. His vision was blocked by the heart-shaped face of a girl clad in silver armor and her fire-red hair falling in her face like drapes of silk.

"Chloe?"

At the realization that she was really okay, Richard launched upwards to hold her, but she pushed him back down gently.

"What happened to me?" Richard asked.

"When you broke Moriarty's sword, his and Dracula's power over the villains was broken and somehow, your powers and your strength became strong enough to overcome his, and the valley was destroyed."

Richard looked hard at Chloe, expecting some greater truth from what she was telling him.

"So, the war…is over?" he asked.

"Thanks to you, it is," Chloe replied.

"Thanks to me, and you."

"And me?"

"Yeah, remember? When I broke Moriarty's blade, there was another sword coming into the light, and I assumed that it was yours. I thought you were revived and that you stepped in to help me defeat him."

Chloe shook her head. "Rich, all I ever did to help you was to get Carrie out of the way, heal your wounds, and then, well, that was it. I'm just telling you what the Pagemaster told me when I came back to consciousness." She rubbed her head and made a strange face. "Which, feels really strange, by the way- being knocked out."

Richard felt a flood of thoughts come into his head, his own questions overtaking them. Chloe hadn't really helped him in the end after all? It had only been him- with only his powers- who had defeated the villains and restored peace at last to the literary world? But that was impossible. His own strength and will alone, would never have been enough to end an enormous, many-year war. Especially with how limited his powers were, it only could have been Chloe who could do it. Her power could stretch to the limits, if any limits at all, and could have ended it in a heartbeat. But him?

"I don't understand it," Richard muttered.

"You fulfilled your mission as a Proverb, and for yourself," Chloe said. "The Proverbs, as far as I remember, are supposed to be the ones who will end all troubles between the heroes and villains in this world. But you, I believe, actually did more than save our side of this world. The Pagemaster said that his sole purpose of bringing you here was to reestablish the single-handed bravery that every human must have for themselves. You lost that while in the human world, didn't you?"

Richard was about to shake his head, when he stopped himself. Of course there were times when his confidence could waver, but what did that have to do with reestablishing bravery? He was brave, but…was he so afraid to disappoint that he had filled his mind with the ideals of courage and bravado?

Perhaps that was so. Admittedly, since his comeback from this world six years ago, he occasionally had tiny little feelings- so small and occasional that he barely noticed them most of the time- that, should he revert back to being a frightened little boy like he used to be, he would lose everything he had gained through his old adventure. He had filled his mind with all the great things he could do for himself and others if he went back to playing Little League- in order to please his father, and finally coincide with the other kids he knew.

Perhaps what he had done out in the valley was what true bravery felt like. Not to feel like he had to please others for his own sake, but for the sake of others, so that they could live on.

He was never making a selfish choice on the battlefield and thus he had nearly killed himself to enable the heroes, and Chloe, to survive.

"Yes, I did, didn't I?" he finally said.

"And look where you are now," Chloe said, stroking her thumb across his shoulder, "a hero."

"Still, I don't think I could've done it without you," Richard said. "You were the only reason I would have made that journey across the sections. I guess if you weren't there, I probably would have gone right back home."

"And left the Pagemaster and the others to fight on their own without you? Never!" Chloe made a strong face like she were staring down an enemy- a face so playfully exaggerated that they both laughed.

Accidentally, Chloe slipped on her feet and fell down, her chest hitting Richard's with enough force to make him sputter out a breath. Chloe looked up to say she was sorry, but somehow, she couldn't say a word. Her thoughts returned to that night in the tower, when the both of them had danced beside each other. Her breath was instantly lost to her for an entire moment, maybe longer. That was how long he seemed to hold the same reaction to her.

"You know I…that I…"

"…love you?" he finished for her.

"Ye-yeah, er, yes, that's it," she sputtered.

For a moment, they kept very still, until Chloe pressed herself against him, close enough that maybe their bodies shared a heart. The feeling of her against him made Richard forget all his hurt from the impact of destroying the villain leader, and only of her. She was here, and so was he, and no one else.

"Chloe?"

"Yes?"

"Come here, closer." She obeyed him, and crept on top of him until their faces were exactly above each other, kept apart by their breathing. Richard lifted his arms and placed them on Chloe's back, feeling along her spine, until he came to her neck, where he swept some of her hair off her shoulder. It fell like a waterfall over one side of their faces, completely hiding their heads from the door.

"Now all I can see is you," he said.

Richard lifted his head, and touched his lips to Chloe's, running his hands alone her neck and back down her spine, loving knowing that she was here to share his personal victory with him. To him, Chloe was the most precious thing in his world, something that he never wanted to lose.

_Think we're dreaming?_ Chloe asked through her mind.

Richard didn't need to ask for mindreading powers to know what she was thinking. "If we are," he said, "let's be together."

Chloe was about to kiss Richard again, when Jip burst through the door, his tail whacking the floor like a furry mallet. Both Richard and Chloe started at his soft bark, and Chloe almost fell from the bed.

Jip yelped helplessly, racing over to nuzzle Chloe up with his nose. When she was back on her feet, Jip sat down, wagging his tail even faster, so that he stirred up some dust.

"Richard, Chloe, er…gracious saviors," he said, bowing his head almost to the floor, "if the brave Richard has gotten his good rest, then the Pagemaster wants for him, and his lady Chloe, to come to the great throne room."

Richard and Chloe glanced back at each other; neither of them pretended not to know what Jip was talking about.

"Are you sure it's _just_ the Pagemaster?" Chloe asked. "I'm pretty sure the rest of the survivors will want to see us off back home, wouldn't they?"

"Going back home?" Jip cocked his head sideways. "Oh, not just yet, sweet lady. The one thing that threatened to destroy our world forever has been extinguished by the last two Proverbs. Truly, you did not believe we would let you go without commending such bravery. I know I would not. And besides-" Jip grinned widely, and licked Chloe's hand affectionately- "my master Doolittle has come back from service."

"Good for you, Jip," Richard said. He started to get up from the bed, taking care not to bump his wounds against anything. Chloe held him like a caring mother when he was finally up on his feet.

"Follow me," Jip said, bowing his head again while he trotted from the room, Richard and Chloe in tow.


	20. Back Home

_**Chapter 20**_

Once in the throne room, Jip pranced towards the Pagemaster's throne, and sat upon the velvet upholstery like he himself was a proud king. He barked before he spoke to Richard and Chloe in the doorway.

"Watch what I do." Tapping his paws together three times, he vanished in a pop and an explosion of magical sparkles. The sparks fell gently on the seat while Richard and Chloe moved to follow their friend. And one by one, they sat on the throne, and clapped their hands together three times. When Richard followed that motion, he forced out a breath while he was whisked away through a colorful space, like the rainbow-vacuum that had first brought him and Chloe into the throne room at the beginning of their adventure; was it really that long ago that they had come here for the first time?

After not breathing in the tight portal for several seconds, Richard found himself stumbling onto a hard marble floor, feeling the vibration of his fall in his knees. His eyes felt strange after seeing so many bright colors. But now there was nothing around him but a dark ocean blue, and a gentle whirling of light, like sunlight streaming through water. Air whooshed into his lungs while the vast space registered in his mind, and for a moment he felt lightheaded, stumbling around until he finally fell to his hands and knees on the cold floor.

"Still haven't gotten used to those portals have you, boy?"

Richard shot his head up at the familiar voice. Sir Hugo was standing beside Jip and the Pagemaster, in front of a giant crystal dome. It was small compared to the size of the seemingly-infinite room, but the bright light swirling from the top of the dome showered the room in gentle starlight. The whirling light fell upon every face in the room, seeming to spread around Richard for several yards, while they looked upon him and a newly-appeared Chloe.

The moment that Chloe popped neatly into the room, the room erupted in applause, ringing through the space like a football stadium.

Chloe was smiling widely at the applause, but Richard was in utter rapture at the crystal dome with the starlight streaming from it. The way it sparkled divinely against the dark blue slammed a feeling of déjà vu into his mind, which absolutely refused to let go until he said it out loud, to no one in particular.

"This is where we will go back home," he whispered.

"The world awaits!" the Pagemaster called to the whole room, as if he had heard Richard's low voice, beckoning with his staff for Richard and Chloe to step up.

Then, when they both stood facing the Pagemaster, he lowered his hand to the ground, and in a gentle voice, said, "Kneel."

The room fell into a hush, while the Pagemaster conjured two objects in the air above his hands. Even though they were both beautiful crowns of gold and silver, speckled with jewels inscribed with intricate words, the room remained entirely silent.

Only when the Pagemaster moved to take them into his hands, did the crowd start to murmur collectively. But Sir Hugo held his hands up high, and like he had cast an instant spell, the whispering stopped in a snap.

"Richard Tyler. Chloe Dewey," the Pagemaster started. "There is so much I could say to you both about the glorious deeds you have done for us all, but, it would take the rest of my eternal life to say so. Therefore, let us proceed with your coronation."

"Coronation?" Richard blurted. What? Did that mean…?

The Pagemaster nodded serenely. "I am an eternal being, my dear boy, but it would be wrong to give up two such special people from my kingdom. Truthfully, I do have many good people in the Binding Order, but we have waited for so long for your powers as the Proverbs to come about. Therefore…" The Pagemaster held up the great, golden crown above his head for the whole room to see. He then brought it gently down through the air, and the sparkling gold touched the scruffy blonde hair on Richard's head.

Chloe sucked in a gentle breath of awe, while sweet warmth passed over Richard's head. He didn't see it, but the jewels were glowing, the words inscribed into them whispering throughout the room in a gentle breeze, while magical sparkles wafted around the space. They twinkled like the dome's starlight, making Richard's eyes glimmer, and his whole body glow like an angel. The crowd raised their hands to clap loudly, their voices shouting congratulations to their newly-crowned hero.

The Pagemaster took the silver crown in his hands now, touching it to Chloe's head. She closed her eyes in pleasure as the warmth took her over, the silver shining through the jewels that also whispered to the room. Richard watched the spectacle from the corner of his eye, suddenly realizing what all the whispering was about when he had been crowned. He couldn't help but smile with all his heart- how beautiful Chloe looked, finally being rewarded for everything that she had done. Perhaps he could reward her some more later, she would like that…

The Pagemaster raised his hands. "Arise, Richard. And arise, Chloe."

They both stood up, absolutely still while the Pagemaster raised his hands even higher, seeming to address the entire crowd, as well as the magnificent, magical starlight, which swirled in intricate patterns above their heads.

"My good people, I give you, with the greatest pleasure bestowed in all the books beyond, Richard and Chloe- Prince and Princess of the Imagination."

There was an absolute uproar in the room, as hats were thrown to the ceiling and whistles of rejoice echoed throughout. Some people were jumping like little children, pumping their fists in the air. And slowly, more and more people started to close in on their new royals, tapping them on the back and pinching their shoulders in congratulations. Richard and Chloe both struggled to stay upright and keep their crowns on, but they greeted the enthusiasm warmly. All of their allies from the front line greeted them both at the same time, hugging them and shaking hands.

A little face, in a new, crisp dress, also joined the crowd, her sweet voice breaking through almost instantly to the two Proverbs.

"Richard!" she called.

He turned his head, and among the tall people trying to reach him, he spotted a little head of blonde hair, tied back with a thin headband. When she jumped up, her blue dress fanned out like a flower, her little eyes glittering. With a swift gasp and in a single bound through the crowd, Richard picked her up in his arms and hugged her close.

"Alice!" he shouted, stroking her hair like a loving father. "Wow! I thought we'd never see you!"

"You've saved us all!" Alice said loudly. "Oh, Richard, you and Chloe were so brave! However did you do it?"

"Need I really explain it?" Richard asked modestly. "I'm just glad you made it back in one piece!"

"I was as lost as ever," she said, "until I was suddenly thrust into some curious, colorful space that took me back to my house. I suppose I owe it all to you, Richard. I just cannot believe that it's all over now!"

"I know," he said, while Chloe joined the huddle. "And that means me and Chloe have to go back to our home."

Alice instantly dropped back down to the floor, still holding Richard's hands. "What do you mean?" she wanted to know. "You are the Prince and Princess of the Imagination. We truly missed the old Prince when he went to the other world. I don't know what we'll do without you both here." She looked up helplessly at the Proverbs, flicking her eyes between them.

"We're sorry, Alice," Chloe answered. "We belong back in our own world, because we still have parents and families and lives there."

"Although I'd miss having powers and not having to worry about final tests too much," Richard said with a shrug.

Chloe laughed, while Alice just frowned.

"I don't like it at all," Alice said. "But I suppose if you truly must." Alice wiped her arm across her eyes. "I'll miss you both very much."

"And we you," Chloe answered, taking her little friend into her arms. "But we'll be back before you know it. Even when we're there, we'll still be the Prince and Princess of the Imagination, even though we won't have our powers."

"Yeah. I guess we'll just be normal again," Richard murmured. "It'll be interesting to see how long we've been gone."

"I don't think we'll have been missed," Chloe said. "The first rule in books, Richard, is that no time passes when you visit a whole other world."

Richard shrugged again, while Alice turned to him for a hug.

"If that's so, then goodbye," Alice said, clearly fighting tears.

"Goodbye, Alice," Richard and Chloe both said as they made their way back to the crystal dome, and the Pagemaster.

When they were standing before him, the Pagemaster turned away and gestured with his great staff towards the glowing crystal dome. "Shall I send you on your way?" he asked.

"We're ready," Richard answered, stealing a glance at their reflections in the crystal. And for a moment, he almost saw him and Chloe, lying back in the library rotunda, with books scattered all around them like old friends…

"The world awaits!" the Pagemaster repeated, while Richard and Chloe started to rise off the floor with a magical glow. "Godspeed to you both, my friends!"

The room erupted once more with cheers and calls of goodbye. Looking below him, Richard saw the entire room waving to them, with Alice and Peaseblossom and the fairies standing at the head of them all. Richard and Chloe both turned back to wave goodbye, while the magical twister of starlight atop the dome carried them away into the flashing void of magic.

…

_Slam! Slam!_

With a jolt of his body, Richard forced his eyes open. The back of his head hurt where he had hit the marble floor of the rotunda, his blood throbbing in his skull. The falling through the mural had surged his body with adrenaline, but he couldn't get up. His head hurt too much. Rubbing his hands through his hair, Richard felt for a bump.

Instead, he felt no crown.

New adrenaline surging through him, Richard sat bolt upright, and looked around him. There was a book cart nearby, with a lonely book lying on the floor. Everything looked the same as when they'd left it, and so, he didn't see his crown anywhere.

"Chloe?" he said, turning quickly to her. "What happened to my…?"

She was slowly stirring too. But she didn't answer his question right away. She gasped loudly enough to fill the silence of the empty library, when her head zipped around, her eyes flicking in her skull furiously. When she didn't find anything too different, she lifted her arms and legs for a better look, and Richard gasped too. In gazing at himself, he noticed that his old clothes were back; the scratchy denim of his jeans felt strange after so many weeks, as did the cold cotton of his T-shirt. Chloe was back in her yellow tunic, denim skirt, and clogs, her crown gone also.

Chloe was silent and still for a long moment, before she fell on her back. "My god," she whispered. "I cannot believe we're actually back."

"Yeah," Richard breathed, nodding his head slowly. It felt like years and years ago since he had last seen the ordinary library around him. But then, could he really call this place _ordinary_, after such a grand journey? Now, there was absolutely no denying it. Since Mr. Dewey's presence in the library, the magic from his world had actually come with him, casting its spell upon anyone who dared explore the world of books. Somehow, Richard couldn't help but smile. The longer the library was kept open, the more wonderful journeys were sure to ensue.

Chloe didn't say much else. She just sat there, breathing long, heavy breaths, staring upward at the still mural on the ceiling. "It'll really take some getting used to being normal again," she said. But she closed her eyes anyway, her lips pursed in concentration. As Richard expected, nothing around them changed. Not even the book lying near them transformed in any way. Chloe opened her eyes, and grimaced.

"Dang!" she hissed, and Richard chuckled.

"Real world, Chloe," he said. "I can't do anything either." He reached for the book on the floor, and opened it, pointing to a random passage, while nothing happened.

"Aw, don't worry about that," Chloe soon said. "We'll be back before you know it. After all, we're taking over for my grandfather. The magic's got to stay here, and we've got to keep our titles!"

"You said it," Richard agreed, as he stood up slowly from the floor. He smoothed out his jacket, and reached for his car keys in his pocket. "Okay, what say we go back home? After weeks and weeks of not sleeping in my own bed, I'm looking forward to collapsing on a real bedspring mattress again."

"You mean you won't miss the cold, hard ground, and just zapping up your own mattress?" Chloe asked playfully.

"Hey, even when I do come back, I'm not going to use my powers straight away," Richard answered. "I've seen enough magic to last me a long, long time. But, I'm not going to back out on staying a Proverb."

"As if you can," Chloe said while they started out of the rotunda. "But I agree. I'll always love going into that world, but I'm ready to return to normality."

Richard smiled lopsidedly at her while he put his hand around her waist. "To start off, you want to meet me tomorrow for…for…?"

"How's ice cream and French fries downtown?" Chloe said. "That's as normal as you can get on a first date."

Richard chuckled softly, nodding. "Fine by me."

By this time, they were passing the front desk, with its various folders and the ancient computer monitor. Richard frowned and smiled at the same time, remembering watching Mr. Dewey work so hard and happily behind that counter. He could see him smiling like the Pagemaster himself while he handed a book to a customer. It was too bad though, that such a person couldn't do that anymore.

But there would be someone new taking over the library right? Could the magic of the book world still stick around, even though its original source was gone for good?

Well, maybe it didn't have to be gone forever…

"Say, Chloe," he said, as they opened the door. "What do you think about getting a job here for the summer? Someone's got to take over from Mr. Dewey, and keep the magic of this world alive for him."

Chloe looked from the door, just as she had lifted the latch. "I've never had a job before," she said. "But I like the idea of being a Proverb, and helping to run that world from afar."

"You can become the magical Imagination Proverb anytime…" Richard said, lifting his eyebrows.

"And you can hunt magical demons for me anytime…" Chloe and Richard both laughed, as Chloe opened the door and they stepped out into the spring air.

As they made their way to the dark street, Chloe leaned against Richard, and he stroked her back with his thumb. He didn't even try to sum up everything that had happened, though he could say he was excited now. If a job at the library was possible, running it with a new boss, and Chloe, it would definitely make time between baseball practices worthwhile.

He smiled too, thinking of the future he had with Chloe. No matter how many lessons he had yet to learn, or how many books he would read in a lifetime, Richard could guarantee that as long as Chloe was beside him, the library they held so dear would never go away.

His grin widened, as he unlocked the car door, and let a droopy-eyed Chloe inside. Proverb or not, Mr. Dewey would be proud of her.


End file.
